


Petrichor

by grapesicle



Category: GOT7
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, Anxiety Attacks, Drama, Eventual Romance, Eventual Smut, M/M, Murder Mystery, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Slow Build, Slow Burn, heir jinyoung, private investigator jb
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-04-10
Updated: 2019-01-05
Packaged: 2019-04-21 03:11:03
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 10
Words: 87,722
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14275662
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/grapesicle/pseuds/grapesicle
Summary: After experiencing a traumatic event while on the job, Im Jaebum swore he’d never work as a bodyguard again. Years later, however, as he ran an investigative agency with the help of his longtime friend Mark Tuan, he got offered over the triple of his monthly income for a protecting job, and his resolve faltered.Encouraged by his greediness and pressured by his high sense of ethics while still trying to cope with a guilty conscious, Jaebum ended up deciding to give it a go. The money they’d be getting after this would surely make up to the sleepless nights he’d be having in the process.Money could also bring bad luck, though.





	1. One

 

 The viewfinder showed exactly what he was supposed to be capturing and archiving for later on as a proof. Accurate focus, zoomed in, lens calibrated and set to shoot.

 The lighting wasn’t the greatest, dimly lit neighborhood lying still under the velvety cape of dark navy and purple that chased after the hours into the brittle dawn. Trees shadowed houses, that shadowed everything else. The only source of light came from the tall lampposts scattered along the quiet street, painting yellowish spots on the pavement and drawing ugly shapes into the dark with its wandering glow. Quite hard to discern what was and what was not in that kind of scenery.

 But the ensuing scene at the end of the block still got perfectly captured in a sharp, precise quality of definition when the first photo got snapped.  Thank God for Nikon.

 Nimble fingers rotated the focusing ring and angled the body of the camera for better shoots, lens following the couple that now moved further into the garden. One lonely dog barked in the distance. The couple tumbled their way past the entryway and into the house, and the camera in Jaebum’s hands snapped a couple of few more photos before he finally put it to rest on the passenger seat with a sigh. They were out of sight now.

 Jaebum regarded the house for a moment longer before closing his eyes and pressing the heels of his hands into the sockets, rubbing at the tiredness that weighed behind them. They ached. It wouldn’t be a surprise if they were bloodshot and heavy with lack of sleep by now.

 The rough scrap of his unshaved cheeks on his fingers when he dragged one hand over his face remembered him of how he’d been neglecting his self-care plan lately, and suddenly he could smell the results of not taking a shower for at least three days, the rancid stench enhanced in the cramped space of his beaten-up Honda. He had been watching those two cheating folks for the whole past week, grasping at the edges of an unwanted four-hour-sleep routine, but at least it was all over now.

 A groan rose on his throat, and he let it out more in relief than anything else. He already had gathered enough content to show his client tomorrow, though he had an inkling she wouldn’t find that closure as relieving as he did. Her husband has been fucking some Spanish chick behind her back for god-knows-how-long, of course she wouldn’t come thanking Jaebum for his hard work on that case with a bright smile on her face. Understandable enough.

 Jaebum didn’t want any patting on his shoulder for doing his job anyway. The fat amount of money his client had paid him for his services stroked his hair and kissed him goodnight in a way no appraise for his dedication ever would. He just wanted a full night of resting with all those thirteen hours of sleep included.

 The paper cup coffee he had picked for himself in the convenience store three blocks up the street on his way there sat quietly on the cup holder of his car, lukewarm and half gone. It tasted like hay. Jaebum wished Starbucks weren’t such a popular bitch to have a waiting line longer than the Golden Gate Bridge on its door, but then of course it would, if given the quality of those aromatic and deliciously prepared coffees he craved for so much right now. He hadn’t been able to stop by before because he was still a man on a mission, the waiting an inconvenience for his stalking job, and know he was too damn tired to drive on the opposite direction from where he was supposed to be headed for later.

 Maybe he and Starbucks weren’t meant to be, after all. Crappy paper cup coffees from local convenience stores fitted his shitty self better. At least the caffeine had done its trick for the past couple of hours. “Be thankful for the small things, kiddo,” his aunt’s croaky voice echoed from somewhere in the past. He missed her, among many things from that time.

 Flashes of memories from not that long ago flooded in, bringing the bad and the good back, feeling so distant and bleary even though it hasn’t been even three years since all happened, the pain and self-hatred that came along stubborn as ever, a permanent failure of healing following a broken bone, just like a fracture with nonunion.

 Jaebum shook his head. It wasn’t the time to bring all that shit back, and he did pray to god or whoever entity that listened from above for said time to never come. That should remain buried seven feet under, keeping his aunt and Bae Eunjeong company.

 Still he kept the thought, and felt thankful for the small things while rolling the windows down and throwing the rest of his awful coffee into the nearby bush. He kept the paper cup though, mindful to throw it in a recycling bin as soon as he found one. Preserving the nature and being conscious of that global warming shit; a whole let’s-save-the-world model. He snorted at his own sarcasm, rolling the windows back up until only a thin gap remained in between.

 Another glance towards the silent house at the end of the block through the windshield and then he was turning to the passenger seat, lithe fingers putting the lid back over the camera’s lens and tucking it back into its case after confirming that there hasn’t been any change on the house’s façade; lights still off and curtains still closed. Apparently there wouldn’t be any more action in there for the night. A wicked grin stretched his chapped lips as he remembered how avidly the couple was sucking face in the garden right before stumbling inside. Yeah, at least not in the ‘open for the public’ way.

 He had to be in the office by early in the morning today, so he might as well crash there for the rest of the dawn once it’d be quite unpractical to drive all the way back home to sleep roughly two hours and get stuck in the matinal traffic on the drive back. Mark surely wouldn’t mind his stinking ass knocking out on the couch for a few hours. It was Jaebum who gave him his salary by the end of every month, so Mark would go what-fucking-ever for mostly every stupid decision he made. Employer benefits, he would sarcasm himself, deep down knowing pretty well how much of a lie that was. Jaebum knew Mark didn’t—wouldn’t—see him only as an employer even though he did work for Jaebum in their makeshift office on the worst corner of Seoul, because they were friends above everything else.

 Mark was chill, laid back with a whole amount of goofiness that surprisingly did a great combination, though he could be a real pain in the ass when he wanted, pulling at Jaebum’s ear and trying to kick some senses into him with the tip of his worn out shoes. Because he was older, and because he genuinely cared. Jaebum fucks up, Mark raises the damn hell on earth and throws all of it on his shoulders; but in the end of the day, it’s the two of them cleaning the mess Jaebum made.

 If Jaebum thought about it, Mark has been the only constant in his mess of life, being there to celebrate his achievements with him and to pick him up when everything else crumbled down around him. Mark was the only one who refused to leave him to deal with his ghosts alone. They’d always deal with them together, like a team, and then Mark would flash him one crooked grin and say, “Ghostbusters be fucked, man. It’d call us instead.” And everything was okay again. Jaebum would feel less of a disappointment and a failure with Mark around, almost as if he wasn’t in the fault of every thing that went wrong in the world. The feeling sat good with him.

 Overprotective as fuck, Mark would always meddle in his business, but he’d allow him to take his own decisions in the end, they being wise or fucked up. He’d just make sure Jaebum knew he was there for him independent of what happened. Because Mark cared. Be thankful for the small things. Jaebum were, he was thankful for Mark. He was thankful for not pushing him away like he did to everyone else. He was thankful for Mark doesn’t allowing him to.

 The dog a few houses down the street began barking to the wind again, and Jaebum realized how he’d sort of dozed off with his head in a weird angle against the headrest while thinking about Mark. He should hurry if he wanted to grab some sleep on their old couch before he’d to present his proofs to his client later. With a care he didn’t use to most things, he placed his already securely packaged camera into the glove compartment and snapped it shut, turning back around to buckle himself up. In one minute he had turned the key to start the car and pulled away, the yellow glow of the lampposts guiding his way as he rode.

 During surveillance, his priority was to be discreet and keep his distance. A passing shadow on the street, a common face among a thousand others. The blurry figure in someone’s peripherals, who’d be forgotten as soon as they turned their faces to look in another direction. It became easy after some time, to make people unconsciously put him in the blind spot. And for some sick reason Jaebum felt thrilled by the thought of creeping them without getting himself busted. It gave his guts a bubbly feeling of powerfulness.

 But as he drove on the nearly empty streets, he found himself turning up the radio and letting the funky rhythm of some song he didn’t know to blast through the speakers. The volume wasn’t that essentially loud, the marker only a few millimeters above the medium flow rate, but in god-knew-what-hour into the dawn, everything louder than a leaf falling onto the concrete or the crickets serenading each other sidestreet sounded like a tornado swirling doors and roofs around. Jaebum couldn’t really care about waking up everyone on his way to the office though. The music helped considerably in keeping him from falling asleep on the wheel and crashing the fuck out against a truck, so that’s the deal. Safety first, it’s what they say.

 He glanced at the duffel in the passenger seat, idly wondering if this weekend would be ok to do the laundry. The clothes in there were in a serious need of soapy water and detergent, and he’d postponed it for far enough time already. There was a small laundry area in the basement of his apartment building, along with the maintenance room and a few offices he still had no idea what they were there for, but he’d been so choked up with work that he hadn’t had the time to stop by and get it on with. Hell, he had only gone home three times by the past seven days. Jaebum lived more in his office than in his own apartment.

 And now the dirty clothes piled up from the beginning of the week in his apartment also needed some washing. If he managed to get all the laundry done in two days, the whole of his weekend would be gone with him stuck to the neck with smelly briefs. Jaebum sulked at the thought. Yeah, well. At least he’d have clean clothes to wear on Monday.

 The horizon started to pale, indigo canvas penciled with faint silver, and the dew got heavy enough to leave snail trails on the windows. The sun would be up in a few minutes. A western song flowed out of the car’s stereo then, and Jaebum recognized it from a movie he’d watched some time ago. He drummed two fingers on the steering wheel along with the rhythm only to keep himself busy, mouth open in a deep, lazy yawl that ended with a low rumble in his throat. The high notes of the woman singing her heart out in the stereo helped him battle his exhaustion to some extent, though the soft rocking of the car as it sped up on the road almost lulled him to sleep.

 The drive and the weariness accumulated from the week weighed on him like a ton of bricks, piled up to raise towers on his shoulders. He felt drained. Wouldn’t be taking any cases for the next two weeks, no matter who came knocking on his door paying him to spy on someone else. A well deserved break, that’s the only thing he was going to take after this last job.

 Glancing in the rearview, he changed lanes to take the next exit. Stray cars had begun passing by after some time, staying too sparse still to mean any danger, and he kept his speed steady at fifteen miles over the limit. Road sweepers and early morning workers hurried through the otherwise deserted streets. The world awakened around him, when all he wanted to do was sleep. The irony made him snort as he signaled left, turning accordingly.

 The _Im’s Investigations_ office was located in a decrepit building on a shitty corner of Sinsa-dong, where business were relatively slow, but the rent for a small office in a modest building sat right with Jaebum’s pocket. The neighborhood was nice, as nice as any noisy stretch of land can be. There was a subway station and a hell of buses nearby, what made locomotion just fine for that part of the district, yet people came mostly for the department stores, boutiques and cafes that spread around the streets like a disease.

 The place wasn’t that bad, it had everything everyone needed for a living, but for Jaebum’s business, it was horrible. Truth was, nobody needed investigative agencies or private investigators anymore nowadays. Only those who suspected their lovers were cheating on them. But Jaebum couldn’t do a living out of jerks who couldn’t keep their pants zipped. Not forever.

 Being a bodyguard paid at least four times better. Protecting his clients from threats, imminent dangers and even possible kidnapping; one month of work could afford him an apartment in the greatest, richest and fanciest area of Apgujeong-dong, and a golden pass to every powerful organization in the country. And kept him in shape. Sitting on his butt the whole day in a car would soon earn him a prominent belly. The pros kept counting and counting, on and on.

 Though the cons weighed a thousand times heavier.

 Being a bodyguard paid at least four times better, but four times better wasn’t enough to pay all the psychiatrics he had to contact afterwards.

 One of the good things about the neighborhood his office was located in within was that, since most people went straight for the market downtown, there were plenty of places for him to park his car. That or because it was ten minutes shy of five in the morning. All in all, Jaebum felt grateful for finding a good spot right across the building, under a friendly tree he didn’t know the name of. It had long branches and a greeny foliage that would shield his Honda from the merciless upcoming sun from midday; that’s enough for him to compliment every crack of it. Pretty, pretty tree.

 The first orange hued rays of sunrise kissed the top of skyscrapers a couple of blocks down the road. The sun itself had barely risen, and the city still hummed with the subdued quiet of dawn. Jaebum unbuckled, leaned over to gather his belongings; camera and wallet from the glove compartment, phone from the passenger seat, empty paper cup from the cup holder. Slipping his wallet and phone into his back pockets, he balanced the rest in one hand to turn off the stereo with another, and then slipped out of the car. The door closed behind him with a soft click.

 Being one of the office owners, he had a spare key and full access to the building. It still was too early to notify someone about his presence, the security guards that usually stood by the reception a few hours away from arriving for another day of work, so Jaebum opted for entering through the back door and thus avoiding opening all the couple of doors at the front. Practical and efficient. And lazy.

 Tired as he was, Jaebum climbed the stairway slower than he normally would, and when he reached the sixth floor he merely registered the abstract paintings hanging on the walls around him before hushing to his office at the end of the corridor. He put his key in and swung the door open, mindful enough to lock it again once he was inside. It wouldn’t be the best of ideas to leave it unlocked while he rested. Too vulnerable.

 Moving on autopilot, he crossed the room to his desk and placed the camera on top of the mess of papers and clips spread about. He’d be going into the nasty footage he had captured on it before meeting his client in the late morning, but first he’d take a good quick nap. Chucking the paper cup into the trash bin resting beside the desk, he yawned, feet moving on their own and taking him to the couch, peacefully standing on a corner. Jaebum didn’t even bother to empty his pockets before throwing himself onto it.

 The creak of the leather giving in under his weigh squeaked around the office like a relaxing lullaby. Jaebum was already dozing off before his body fully landed on the way too comfy cushions. Everything melted into blurry lines and soothing darkness afterwards.

 

 Staccato rain on the terrace.

 Jaebum dragged his bare feet over the flat surface of the low wall, hands buried deep into the pockets of his dress pants. The sky had gone dim, stubborn streaks of purple and magenta mingling with the navy blue of the heavens, peeking in between gray clouds like a bruise. The sheets of water pelting his body felt hot as fresh blood. Wine spilling from a glass. Drip, drip, drip. Blood gushing out of a bruised wound.

 Humidity made it hard to breathe. The glowing clouds seemed to devour the city’s light and noise, leaving the terrace dark and muffled, though rain still made silvery halos around the lampposts twenty floors down on the misty street. Little angels standing in the distance. Jaebum loosened the knot of his tie while looking down, warm water dripping from the base of his wrist where an expensive watch hug the bone. It was pretty high, that building’s height. He felt oddly detached to the fact he was standing so close to the edge.

 Jaebum could tell something was off. The material of his dress shirt clung to his back, and although torrential rain still poured down on him, he knew it was with cold sweat. He looked around the rooftop, took in the damp weathered walls and steel back door leading to the building. A foreboding feeling clawed at his neck, the rise of bile in his throat. The familiarity of that place made him want to puke.

 Thunderbolts cracked the sky, bright spasms of light holding hands with low grinding roars. Outdoors, the air was sultry and soggy, but the prickle in the back of his neck told him indoors was way more suffocating. He panted, anxiety cradling him like a newborn. Even though he didn’t know what he was doing up there, shuffling bare feet over the protection wall beside the terrace edges, he deep inside kind of knew. Like reliving a dream he’d already had, where he knew what was bound to happen before it actually did.

 As if on cue, he stopped on his aimless wandering on top of the low wall and looked at the back door, queasy with certainty. There’s an unsettling sense of dejavu in the way his eyes bored into the doorknob, and the cold sweat that dripped down his temples to merge with the relentless rain told him with a mocking voice that he’s been there before enough times already to know the closure of that scene. High heels clicked on the tiles, an echo from the inside. His wary eyes focused on the steely surface just as it clunked open.

 Smile. Jaebum’s breath caught in his throat even though he already knew what to expect, who to expect. Scarlet spots soaked his shirt, carmine on translucid white. The rain had turned a distinct color of burgundy, abandoning its transparency in favor of painting the world a gory red. Scarlet, like those lips who smiled at him. A red wine stain on his guilty conscious.

“Red suits you very well, Jaebum-ssi,” syrupy was how her voice sounded, sweet like saccharin rather than sugar, that bitter aftertaste lingering after every word. It was so sickeningly sweet, Jaebum felt his head throb. “Every shade of it.”

 It sounded like a compliment, but he knew better. Sarcasm, that was more like it. But her eyes were so cold, hollow and devoid of any emotion, the fiery light that once sparkled in them nowhere to be seen now. Heavy drops of thick dark liquid doused over them from above. She raised her head towards it, opening her delicate mouth to get a taste. It looked almost holy, worthy of complete devotion as one perfect in goodness and righteousness. The image of her coiled dread on his stomach nonetheless.

“I’m sorry.” The words slipped past his moist lips, unbidden. There was this uncomfortable sting behind his squinting eyes as he tried to make more of her shape through the mist and darkness that enveloped the terrace. He felt a prod on his right calf, and his feet slid back over the slippery tiles for a few centimeters. He was involuntarily stepping back, away from her smile and emotionless eyes.

 She lowered her head again, but the pliant smile was gone. For some reason Jaebum frowned at it. Another whip of lighting crossing the bruised grey sky, another roar following its tail. The air blew in stale waves between them. Another prod on his leg, now on his ankle. His feet stood halfway off the edge.

“The moral of the story is,” she paused to raise the thin strap of her dark green dress over her shoulder again, the fabric a wet brown that clung to her slim silhouette. The same dress she wore that night. Jaebum hadn’t even noticed what she was wearing up until them, but now that he did, it left a rotten taste on his tongue. The rain kept pushing him down, gravity doing its job and the both of them working together, against him. It felt slippery under his bare feet.

 She cocked her head in the smug way he’d seen her do a lot of times before, and before she honeyed the rest of her sentence out, he already knew which words would entail it. His leg gave a false step behind, slipping all the way out of the low wall. The smile on her face returned.

 Jaebum’s perception of time distorted, the blood tears dropping from the clouds slowing down until there was nothing besides himself, and the thunderous sky above swallowing him whole as he fell. His hand seemed to kiss the sky when he reached out, fingers trying to get a grasp of the endless crevasse of tempestuous colors that grinned down on him.

 Suspended in the air, he could still see her standing by the rooftop of the building, leaned over the low wall to watch him dive. The wind deafened him, whispering noises that seemed pretty much like apologies he didn’t want to hear, but he could still make the words she mouthed at him from far, far away; the ones she’d engraved him in a permanent tattoo.

“Sheep are dumb.”

 

 Jaebum woke up with a gasp and a pain on his ankle.

 The soft amber glow of the sunlight squeezing past the blinds poured through his fingers and onto his upturned face. He had one arm bent against the couch armrest, forearm crossing the side of his head and draped lazily over his face. One hand shielded his eyes from the direct brightness of the sun. The same hand he’d reached for the sky with in his dream.

“Man, you look like shit.” A deep voice suddenly reached him, said from above, and Jaebum flinched despite himself. The still lingering effects of his dream got him feeling pretty fidgety. He had to take a moment to register the soft foreign accent as Mark’s Californian one. The guy had likely been kicking him awake, thus the pain in his leg.

 His neck hurt from the weird position he’d slept in, and the leather that once felt cozy and pleasant beneath his sore back now stuck uncomfortably to his crumpled shirt, soaked with sweat. There were nasty wet stains around his collar and under his armpits, probably another covering most of his back too, and his skin glistened in the feeble sunlight like he’d run a marathon. Jaebum bet he did look like shit. Maybe smelled like one, even. Though Mark would’ve commented on the smell if he did.

 When he tipped his head back to glare at Mark from upside down, the guy casted him such a pitying look he felt like a recovering alcoholic who’d broken all them twelve steps in a moment of weakness and almost downed himself in whiskey. Fair enough. He did feel like a dry drunk anyway.

 Fighting down a sudden wave of nausea he didn’t really know where was coming from, he rolled to his side and sat up on the couch, one hand sleepily rubbing at his face. His thick fingers came away damp when he dragged them across his forehead, noticing how his short hair was already long enough to plaster dark strands to his temples. He absently wiped his fingers clean on the hem of his shirt as looking around. The room was definitely brighter than it’d been when he arrived, walls echoing the slivers of light that seeped in through the blinds in a warm glow. It shouldn’t be more than eight, barely nine in the morning. Thank god he didn’t oversleep. Thank Mark, too.

 Mark spared him another look before walking to his desk, the soft jingle of his bundle of keys swirling around one slender finger filling the silence. Jaebum knew Mark knew better than to ask what was wrong; guy’s been there for quite enough time to know about his torturously frequent dreams, and what they entailed. He watched the back of Mark’s faded brown jacket with a cocktail of deep affection and gratitude stirring in his umber eyes.

 The first time Mark had found him in that frantic state after having one of those nightmares, he’d worriedly asked what had happened and whether he could do something to help, overprotective as always. Jaebum had refused to confide his concerns in him at first, stubborn mule pulling against the reins, and they’d fought that day. One week and a black eye later, though, he’d surrendered and spilled the beans. Mark had been comprehensive, sympathetic in a bittersweet way, and Jaebum felt grateful for that. Be thankful for the small things.

 In the end, they had settled for this silent agreement where Mark wouldn’t ask Jaebum about it whenever it happened, but Jaebum would be welcome to come to him if he ever needed to vent and let it all out. It worked fine for both parts, a gleeful win-win deal.

“You crashed here last night?” Mark’s foreign accent filled the air again as he crossed the room to put the blinds up. Though in a decadent neighborhood, their office had a nice view from the city stretching below like a lazy cat. Buildings merged into each other in the distance, the green of the trees peeking in between roofs breaking up the uniform pattern of concrete, clear sky greeting them from above. A pretty view in a crappy place.

 Jaebum squinted at the full brightness coming from the outside. “Dawn.” He croaked, voice rough with sleep. The sound of dealers opening up their shops right down the street flowed in through the open windows. “Couple hours ago, actually. Comin’ from the Chungs’.”

“Got some worthy footage, at least?” One quick glance on his direction, and another surveying the room. “You’ve been working this case for what, a week straight?” Jaebum nodded both, and Mark jerked a thumb toward the camera on his messy desk. “Gotta have one hell of proofs in there already.”

“They were being too sneaky. A lot of content from the beginning of the week, sure, but the topping of the cake came only last night. Great pictures. Impressive how long they can hold their breath when focusing on sucking the living shit out of each other’s mouth.”

 Mark snorted, shaking his head. His straight hair sat neatly combed on top of his small head, vibrant ruby hues encompassing the scorching red locks that looked burning to the touch in the sunlight. Mark’s hair was originally dark, onyx black with ebony undertones, but red suited him.

  _Red suits you very well, Jaebum-ssi._

 Jaebum shook himself, trying to shake that memory off with it. The nausea was back, leaving his stomach upset and ready to trash out even though it remained empty apart from the disgusting coffee from earlier. He stood up and walked to the water dispenser placed against the adjacent wall. Filling a paper cup with cold water, he downed it in one go.

“Do we have any schedule today? Apart from Mrs. Chung’s, that is.” He asked Mark, not really interested in whether he’d have to attend more meetings through the day but asking nonetheless, out of something better to do. And desperately trying to distract his thoughts.

 Mark shrugged, adjusted the strap of his messenger bag over one shoulder. Jaebum noticed it for the first time just then. “Not that I remember. People can come impromptu anyway, so we never really know.”

“Right.” The amount of people who showed up unannounced was definitely bigger than the one that booked a meeting beforehand. Maybe they felt better not leaving any kind of trace from their business, afraid that other parties would somehow discover it and become sneakier in their escapade. Thinking of which, Mrs. Chung had booked all her visits, and her husband’s been a pain in the ass to track down out of business hours, let alone catch him doing the dirty. Yeah well, showing up unannounced apparently did make things easier up for both parts. Good deal, then.

“Since we both up and here, wanna grab some breakfast downstairs?” Mark turned to him after checking the phone on his desk, the round zero displaying in black indicating no messages in their voicemail. He looked happy at the prospect of them having breakfast together.

 Jaebum still felt too queasy and drowsy to be having breakfast though. “I’m good with coffee.”

“Still.” He insisted, sighing ruefully at some thought he kept in his head. One nod toward the makeshift pantry squeezed in the back of their office where a storeroom was supposed to be, and he shrugged again. “We need a new coffee machine.”

 With an arched eyebrow, Jaebum followed the lead and looked that way, umber eyes blinking at the white wall that separated both rooms as if he could see the pantry right through it. His attention came back to Mark, “huh, why? You threw ours on someone again?”

 Mark had a short temper, just like Jaebum did, but while Jaebum would sulk and snap his jaw this and that way to relieve some of the stress, Mark would go as far as to throw things. Electronics were his favorite. He could work with any breakable things though.

 Mark scowled. “Ha ha.” He halfheartedly gathered the papers scattered over his desk into a pile, pushing it to one side in sequence and dropping his messenger bag onto the wooden surface to dig around for his wallet. “Damn thing broke yesterday. We oughta stop leaving it on for the whole day. Microwave works just fine if we wanna heat a cup up.”

“Yeah, only if you like your coffee tasting like foam.”

“The coffee you make already does anyway.” Mark bit back, playful and mean like only him managed to be, hazel eyes crinkling with a smile that matched his goofy and uncharacteristically high-pitched laugh just right.

 Jaebum flipped him off, but the corners of his lips were twitching in a suppressed grin. He liked Mark.

 Despite being roughly two years older, Mark looked good five years younger than him. His boyish features and the way he always dressed in baggy clothes that could fit at least three of him in there, perhaps. Mark just gave off a fresh, healthy feeling Jaebum could never compare, his own nearly ragged image reflecting the age he didn’t have yet.

 He absently scratched his stubble-roughed jaw. The five o’clock shadow he’s been sporting for two days now was almost growing into a full beard. It made him look like a bum. He needed to shave it as soon as he took a shower, though the ticklish scrape of it against the pad of his fingers kind of relaxed him. An old man in essence. Not that surprising that his back has been giving him hell for the past months.

“So,” Mark prodded. “You coming with me?”

“Nah, I still have to go through the photos from earlier.” The expression on his face was apologetic, and Mark matched it with a sympathetic one from his own. He craned his neck to cast a glance at the round clock hung high on the wall opposite to them, the minute hand urging him silently as it approached the twelve. “And it’s almost ten. Mrs. Chung is our ten-thirty, so I gotta finish before she shows up. You go ahead and bring me some coffee.”

“You got it, boss.” Mark slid his wallet into his back pocket and flashed him an exaggerated salute before grinning and walking out of the room, letting the door close with a low click behind his back. Jaebum smiled kindly at where Mark had disappeared to for one more minute and then shook himself out of it.

 He needed to go through the footage collected last night, but he needed a shower first and foremost. There were plenty of bathrooms in that building, at least three in each floor, yet he knew it from experience that the only bathroom which housed a shower head was the staff’s one. One of those offices in the basement served them as a changing room too, so it wouldn’t be hard to sneak in and get himself rid of the smelly clothes that dried sweat around his limbs.

 It’d be quite tiresome to go all the way downstairs to the basement only for a quick shower though. Jaebum sighed. It should be done anyway. He couldn’t go on with his day smelling like the dead.

 With his mind set, he walked out the office and jogged down the stairs to the basement. Jaebum wasn’t a big fan of elevators, the rocking of it as it climbed floors leaving him with a headache for the rest of the day, therefore he could only be grateful that his office was on the sixth floor or else he’d be screwed.

 There weren’t many people roaming around the basement when he stepped a foot in there. Only a few stray people from the staff who greeted him with a polite nod of head, if anything. He nodded a greeting back to them before continuing on with his business. Everyone knew everyone in that building, maybe because it was so small there wasn’t how they wouldn’t stumble into one another sometime.

 He stripped off of his clothes in one empty office that smelled of cleaning products and conditioner, the bathroom with the shower head he’d aimed for standing five feet away, attached to it through a side door. Since it was the basement, he didn’t have to worry about windows and getting peeked while he changed. Good deal. He stretched with a happy groan and then went for the shower he very well deserved.

 Usually, Jaebum wouldn’t take more than fifteen minutes in the shower, however, given the circumstances where he felt so gross he had to scrub his skin with all his might until it became a bright rosy peach shade, he took almost forty. At least he felt like even his soul had gotten impossibly cleaner afterwards. Though now he was potentially late for his sorting out proofs in regards of his ten-thirty client later on.

 Stepping out of the shower, Jaebum headed for the small cabinets placed against one dewed wall. The staff started keeping spare towels in there for that specific purpose after the number of workers who sneaked there to take a quick shower had increased quite considerably for the past couple of months. A smart decision, he thought while drying off.

 Great part of the workers has started to keep duffels of spare clothes they could change into in there as well—after taking the staff’s gesture with the towels as a green light he supposed—but Jaebum hadn’t. The visual image of his own duffel bag stuffed with dirty clothes in the backseat of his Honda flashed in his mind, and he regretted not having had the time to do the laundry yet. He could’ve done a good use of them now if he had washed them before. Well. Mark did keep a stash of baggy clothes in the third cabinet from left to right anyway; Jaebum was sure he wouldn’t mind if he borrowed some for the day. Mindful enough to pick both his wallet and phone from his discarded pants before chucking it into the pile of dirty clothes Mark kept in the lower shelf of the cabinet, Jaebum dressed up and then took off.

 His short hair was still damp when he jogged his way up to the sixth floor again, tiny twinkling beads dropping, dropping and dropping over the shoulders of Mark’s oversized navy sleeve shirt like shooting stars. Though he still hasn’t shaved and his features remained etched with the tiredness of barely slept nights, there was this refreshing feeling about being thoroughly clean that made him think he looked younger than he had earlier in the morning. Soap and water surely were miracles in disguise.

 Mark looked up from his laptop as soon as he heard the door to the office creaking open, and although he did give Jaebum’s outfit an once-over and a snort, no actual complaints followed. “Seems like you’re in luck, boss,” he said with his attention back to the screen, “your ten-thirty just called to say she’ll be your eleven now. Got stuck in the traffic jam, as it seems.”

 Jaebum grunted in relief. “Great. Haven’t even checked the camera yet. Gonna do it now.” Mark gave his statement a little nod, and then reached out for the brownish package that lied on top of his now neatly clean desk. With a swift swing, he threw it on Jaebum’s direction, not even sparing him another glance when Jaebum caught it in the air and cocked an eyebrow at him. “Donuts. I know how much you like those sweet things. Your coffee’s on your table.”

 Sure enough, the sweet aroma of fresh coffee swirled around the room now that he paid attention to it, and his eyes slid from the greasy brown paper bag in his hands to the white tall cup silently sitting on his desk. With a small smile, he hummed in understanding and appreciation both. “Thanks, man.”

“Y’welcome.”

 Jaebum crossed the room to his desk peeking inside the paper bag, considering the rosy, spongy donut inside. After the shower he took downstairs, his nightmare had gone to the back of his mind and stood there like a rattlesnake waiting to pounce. The nausea had faded. Maybe he could use some breakfast after all.

 The office they’d rented was designed to be comfortable, practical and convenient, whether the whole blended or not. White walls, oak desks and center table, rich black leather armchairs and couch; it all looked pretty clean and professional somehow, what was plenty fine with Jaebum. His desk was the same mess he’d left it in; papers, clips, pens, and other accessories spread all about. The only exception was the tall cup of coffee standing proudly at the edge. The aroma of caffeine was really delicious, invigorating even.

 He sat in his armchair, hearing the leather squeak underneath in complaining at his weight, and put the packaged donut away in favor of going through the process of uncapping his camera and plugging it to the laptop that sat quietly on the tabletop facing him. Cracking his knuckles, he got to work.

 Sorting through the photos wasn’t a hard task. He only had to choose which photos came out better and then delete the blurred and inadequate ones. There was also a video, the content being of the two lovebirds meeting in the darkness and then making out right there on the empty street before going inside, which had also been captured by the camera, though this time through a couple of high definition photos. They had all come out pretty good. Nikon definitely was his best bitch.

 There was plenty of material Jaebum could use to convince his client of Mr. Chung cheating on her, so he finished organizing the proofs and sent some for printing. After roughly half an hour, he was done; feeling very productive and satisfied with himself, he kicked up his feet and sat there watching the printer spill photo after photo while sipping from his now lukewarm caffeine-full treat.

 There still were fifteen minutes left for his client to arrive, so he finished his breakfast and waited for her, daydreaming about the amount of rest he’d be getting in the weekend.

 

 The meeting with Mrs. Chung had gone as bad as Jaebum thought it would.

 Five minutes into him exposing what he’d gathered throughout the week and the woman was losing her shit and composure altogether, shouting curses and throwing a tantrum as though it were Jaebum’s fault somehow. Then she’d deflate and say it was all her fault instead, going graphic about how they hadn’t done sex in almost six months, and how she couldn’t fake her orgasms anymore because the jerk wouldn’t last more than three minutes anyway.

 Jaebum sure as fuck didn’t need to know about that, but she was keen in telling him all the hell she’s been through with her husband as if that explained both his cheating and the fact she was going to ask for divorce as soon as she stepped a foot outta there, so he just let her talk. And god, did she talk.

 The meeting didn’t last long though, barely an hour or so, where half of it went on with Mrs. Chung going off on a tangent and confiding her whole life in him, asking him whether he knew a good lawyer to help her out in the end. People hurt in so many different ways. Jaebum could only nod and hand her one of his lawyer friends’ card. She had thanked him and then she was gone, the printed copies of those compromising photos stuffed in her hand bag once she’d asked Jaebum if she could keep them to make her husband choke on each one before kicking him out their house. Jaebum couldn’t deny her that.

 As soon as the elevator at the end of the corridor dangled twice to both announce it had arrived in their floor and was now taking off somewhere else again, Mark burst out laughing. Jaebum tried to scold him, throwing clips and crumpled paper balls on him from his table, but he himself was having a hard time trying to keep in the bubbly chuckle that shook his chest. They were both such dicks for laughing, but the situation was so bad and the woman had reacted in such a crazy way that they couldn’t help it. Something told his guts that karma would get at him for that later, but he didn’t put much mind into it.

 The sun still hung high in the sky by the time they got another client, the soft knocks on the door making them look up in unison. Sunlight filled the small room, its golden hue ambitiously illuminating each crevice of the office until it looked almost too bright. Jaebum had to squint at the door to make out the robust figure hovering hesitantly by the doorway.

“Private investigator Im? Im Jaebum-nim?” Came the uncertain calling, baritone deep and croaky with age although its authoritative edge left no room for condescending remarks about his timeworn appearance. There stood an older man, probably standing in his early sixties, muffled inside a heavy coat despite the enjoyable sun outside, looking in between Mark and Jaebum as he waited for an answer with hands gripping the sides of a hat.

 Expensive was an adjective that described him well, though Jaebum would go for classy or aristocratic first. He raised one hand with a tiny wave at the same time Mark pointed at him with a pen. “That’d be me.” The man focused rheumy eyes on him, and he did his best to look friendly and professional altogether. “How can I help you?”

 The older man had a soft wave of grizzled hair styled in a classic pompadour, and his spine was slightly hunched to accommodate the heavy weight of all those years he carried on his back. He broke into a shuffling trot across the room and then took the seat Jaebum offered him with another wave. “I, uh. Need your services.”

“Okay.” The tone of his voice was calm and indulging, the very one he used whenever he felt like subtly coaxing his clients into elaborating further on what exactly he could do for them.

 One glance at Mark, and Jaebum could tell the guy was watching them attentively from his own desk, nimble fingers set and ready to type out the whole meeting on his laptop, or do some impromptu research on the internet if that was the case. Usually, Mark would stay verbally out of the meeting, only intervening here and there to ask for personal information, such as addresses and names, but then he’d let Jaebum conduct it. They’ve been working like that for years now, it was a good deal.

 The gray-haired sniffed, trailed the edges of his hat with the pad of his fingers. His gaze swept up to the clock on the wall and then down to Jaebum’s face again, seemingly coming to terms with whatever he wanted to say. “Not for me, though. For someone else.”

 Jaebum’s brow furrowed slightly as he narrowed his eyes, intrigued. Even though it wasn’t impossible for people to come in asking for his services in spite of someone else, it did was undoubtedly rare. He gave the other an inquisitive once-over before crossing his arms over the desk. “And who’d that someone else be?”

“My boss’s son, Park Jinyoung. Ex-boss, actually. Such a tragedy, what happened.” The man declared in a lax tone. Jaebum cocked an eyebrow at that, what got him a startle and a kind of too rushed explanation shortly thereafter. “He died. Heart attack, they say.”

 There was a brief moment of silence as Jaebum slowly nodded his head in both respect and sympathy. “My condolences.”

 Another nod followed as a reply, this one in acceptance of the compassion that has been offered. “I’ve worked with the Parks for almost my entire life, you see. Mr. Park and I, we practically grew up together. I served Mr. Park though his youth, and I served him well. Through the beginning of his aging, too. Early fifties, that is. I saw his hair grow gray and his features deepen with age, just as I saw his first son born and grow handsomely.” He paused. “He resembles his father quite a lot. That is, when Mr. Park was younger.”

“What’s his name again? The Park’s son.”

“Park Jinyoung.” The older repeated, subtly leaning forward and toward the desk as if that’d make Jaebum listen to him better, fingers twitching around the brim of his hat.

“Park Jinyoung.” The name rolled off Jaebum’s tongue easily. He heard the quiet _tap, tap, tap_ of Mark typing the new information on his laptop from across the room. “Alright. So what about the guy? Did he send you here to hire us on his name? That’s why you said you need our services for someone else?”

“Oh, no. No. I came by myself, no, Jinyoung-ssi didn’t send me. He doesn’t even know I’m here, uh, it’s my doing. I said I came for him because he… he needs surveillance. I mean, it’s for his protection.” Another pause, and another furtive glance at the clock. Jaebum glanced back over his shoulder, just to see if there was something wrong with it. There wasn’t. His dark eyes slid back down to consider the other again, who was then pursing his chapped lips tightly as in deep thought. “Mr. Park was a great man. Made an astonishing deal of money in the petroleum industry, had a pretty renowned oil company. They’re very wealthy, the Parks.” He shook his head, mournfully. “Money brings bad luck.”

 Jaebum was afraid he knew where that was going, but played dumb nonetheless. “Sir, what exactly do you want to hire me for?”

“Protection.” There was something almost frenetic in the way he jerked his head in a single nod while spurting the word, something Jaebum couldn’t quite pinpoint, but that left a stray shiver to trail a path up his spine. He had a foreboding feeling about that whole issue.

 The older man seemed conflicted then, almost imperceptively so, and he furrowed an already wrinkling brow at the piles of paper untidily spread over the oak desk before him for one moment or two. Jaebum at first thought he were judging the messy state his desk was in, but after a while the thought that stuck was the one that the old chap wasn’t even really seeing it at all. He was likely frowning at something only him was seeing, something he didn’t share although he did start speaking again a couple of seconds later.

“Mr. Park passed away last month. They said it was a heart attack, that he died of natural causes, but Mr. Park had never complained about chest discomfort or any other symptom before. Man was healthy as a bull. My guts tell me someone did this, I don’t know how, but they did. And I’m afraid they’ll come after Mr. Park’s son next, boy inherited every coin.” An emotion akin to bitterness soaked his words, and Jaebum could see how confident and sure the man was in his theory. “They’re after the money.”

“Shouldn’t you be contacting the police, then?” Jaebum asked, trying to keep the exasperation out of his voice. Accusing someone from murder was some serious shit already, let alone preaching that whoever did this was likely to come back and attack the person who inherited the money. “Why hire me? Why look for a private investigator to keep an eye on the kid instead of just calling the cops and getting them to protect him right? Say he’s in danger. Look, I’m not trying to be rude, but I’m afraid you came to the wrong place, sir. I only investigate things, I can’t effectively arrest them on the spot.”

 The map of wrinkles on the man’s face told of worries past and worries present, and it led to an unsure trajectory of fear and apprehension as he shook his head, dismissing the idea fervently. “They would know it was me, Jaebum-nim, if the police ever caught word of this and started nosing around. They could feel threatened and make a move on both of us.” Shaking his head again, he added, “I can’t bluntly tell he’s in danger and get the police on the scene because I think it’s someone from the inside. A coyote hidden among the sheep.”

 Like a spark on straw, the metaphor smoldered in his mind. Dread coiled in his stomach, as dangerous and poisonous as a sleek snake ready to strike, and an echo from the past ricocheted in his head to mimic the silver ball in a pinball game machine. _Sheep are dumb_. The crawling nausea from before returned, and Jaebum tasted bitterness against his tongue as he tried to swallow it down again.

 If his potentially next client ever noticed how pale Jaebum had become after those words, he didn’t make a comment on it. Instead, the man busied himself with fiddling nervously with the hat between his fingers. None of them was having an easy time there, apparently. Of course for different motives, but still.

 After a moment that seemed to stretch on forever, the elder resumed his point. “And I don’t intend on hiring your services to investigate who’s the culprit and catch them, Jaebum-nim. You won’t have to arrest no one. At least that’s not why I came here for.” When he gesticulated for emphasis, it was with the creak of age in his bones. “Collecting proofs will be a part of your job, but only when it’s related to Jinyoung-ssi’s itinerary. You won’t be playing detective. I came here to hire you for something else. I’m hiring you to be his shadow, to keep track of him. To be his bodyguar—”

“No.” The negative answer came down so fast and sharply that if Jaebum had majored in literature back at college, he’d be narrating right about now a metaphor to compare it to the swift movement of a knife slicing the air moments before cutting through some solid body. Gladly, he’d majored in photography instead.

 Tight-nerved as if keyed to a subsonic whistle that kept him on edge, inaudible but incessant, Jaebum stared at the old man without really seeing him. His whole body wanted to bolt for any exit available, to flee so fast the flesh melted from his bones. The rational side of his brain told him he should get a grasp on himself, but the cold sweat that gathered on his back left him feeling too uncomfortable to think straight. It felt as though he were at the terrace of his dream again, wine raining on him and guilt soaking his soul. Red, reddish, redder. It suited him well.

 Out of the corner of his eye he could see Mark peering at him worriedly, so he tried to shake himself out of it once again. Breathe in. Mark knew enough of him—of his past—to read his reaction and perk up on what was happening, ready to intervene and get him out of there, to take him somewhere he could breathe again even though there wasn’t such place. He gave a short nod in Mark’s direction to let him know he was fine, tried to smile even, but the muscles of his jaw told otherwise from the way they twitched where he gritted his teeth.

“Jaebum-nim…” the calling came in a plea, almost begging for Jaebum to be reasonable and reconsider his decision. Jaebum could tell it was important for the older man to hire such services, and he really understood his need to seek protection for someone close he feared to be in danger, but Jaebum just wasn’t the right person to help him with that. A bodyguard was something he’d rather be damned before taking the role of again. He didn’t think he was ready yet.

 Raising one hand in the universal ‘stop’ sign to shut the other up, Jaebum said, “Im Investigations do precisely that, sir…” he paused, just then realizing how the man hadn’t even introduced himself yet, and giving him one meaningful look that silently asked just that.

 Luckily, he picked up quite quickly, subtly straightening his hunched back as if to assume a more formal posture as making his name known. “Choi Eungchan.”

 Jaebum nodded. “Eungchan-nim. We investigate. We’re a licensed and insured investigative agency for investigative service needs. Providing protection and likewise services isn’t in our power.”

“But, isn’t surveillance part of an investigator’s job? It’ll just be projected on another slope. I’m sorry if I’m being ignorant, but Jaebum-nim, I’ll have to ask you to reconsider it. The payment is really good, and we can give you shelter if you want. The Parks are really wealthy. Like, you can move in to the main house so it’ll be easier to keep an eye on him, or we can rent you an apartment in the neighborhood, if you’d rather keep your privacy. Both jobs are likely the same, don’t they? I mean, I just—” the older looked anxious now, “ _we_ need help.”

“Which I’m sure you’ll get in another agency, in one that provides the kind of services you’re after.”

“I’m only asking you to follow him around and make sure he’s safe and sound for a couple of weeks, that’s really all about it.” Mr. Choi tried again, but Jaebum kept shaking his head in negative. He couldn’t understand the man’s insistence at all, neither his methods to get what he wanted done, but he still was inclined to deny both.

 There were plenty of investigative agencies out there. Jaebum was sure Mr. Choi could find one that promptly agreed on cooperating with him without the kid’s future bodyguard having war flashbacks from that specific profession every thirty minutes.

“And I’m apologizing for saying it’s out of our reach, sir, but that’s exactly what it is.” The finality on Jaebum’s tone left no room for arguing. The gray-haired opened and closed his mouth a couple of times more before pressing thin lips into a firm, disapproving line. Obviously, he wanted to try and convince Jaebum to change his mind, but the stern look Jaebum sent his way was hard enough to prevent him from making the move.

“I understand.” A resigned sigh. “Do you have someone you can recommend me, then? For around here, in Sinsa-dong?”

 Jaebum went for rummaging through the top drawer of his desk, looking for the stack of business cards from different areas he always kept in there when that last comment caught his attention. Before he could think better of it, he found himself saying, “you speak like a foreigner. Do you live somewhere else? Out of Sinsa?”

 The older man took the small card Jaebum proceeded to hand him. Pitch black letters sparkled under the stray golden gleam of sunlight that filtered in the room as he turned it around in his wrinkly hand. “Oh. Yes, I do. Another district, actually. As far as I could go given the span of time I’m able to enjoy the use of without it getting suspicious. I told them I was out shopping.”

 Jaebum hummed. There was something bugging him in that story, but he couldn’t really tell what. Maybe it’s been something the elder had said, or the way he’d said it; but then again, he couldn’t tell. “And where do you live?”

“In Apgujeong-dong.” Mr. Choi stood up, slipping the business card into the pocket of his coat and his hat on the top of his head. He looked even more aristocratic with his black hat on, a lord of some sort. It did was almost comic how out of place he looked there, awkward in their cramped shit of office, dressed up in unnecessarily formal clothes and all in black. The merciless sun that kissed Seoul after midday might’ve been giving him the hell though.

“Apgujeong? And you came all the way to Sinsa only to hire some private investigator to do a bodyguard job?” The unbelieving snort that followed his statement came out unbidden. He couldn’t just stop himself from thinking of the man as some old chap who had gone nuts with age; the whole situation he’d come up with still seemed kind of absurd to Jaebum, disturbingly so.

 Mr. Choi gave him an uncomfortable smile. “I couldn’t risk hiring someone from the area. Everyone knows everyone; they’d know it’s all my doing if they saw me visiting agencies around the neighborhood. They’d know I somehow suspect them, that is. Word would get out. It’d be more dangerous and they’d make a move on us, like I’ve already told you.”

 Jaebum did a noise in the back of his throat that was supposed to sound like an assenting hum but came away more like a derisive cough. He tried to disguise it with the scrapping of his chair on the floor as he pushed it back to stand up as well. Since everyone was standing and the talk hinted to be heading towards the end, Mark stood up too, if only for the sake of not being the only one sitting.

“And I must’ve expressed myself wrongly before. The bodyguard issue, it wouldn’t really be like that.” Mr. Choi held up his hand in a ‘wait’ gesture before Jaebum could effectively protest against the rebringing of that matter. “Not like a bodyguard job, but just. Surveillance. The feeling of protection would come of having someone there, watching him in case something bad happened. That’s right, it’d be better to hire a bodyguard instead, if protection is what I seek for, but again, they’d know. If I hire a private investigator, we can say it’s for investigating a burglary, we can make up some story to hide the truth, so they wouldn’t think I’m hiring someone to keep Mr. Park’s son safe because I think there’s someone inside our house that might try to kill him next.”

 Mr. Choi’s rheumy, sad eyes left Jaebum’s to stare down at his own shoes, face grim and pitiful, like he were disappointed but resigned with the outcome of that talk. He looked helpless, hopeless. With one last sigh, he lowered his hand again and finished, “we shall be discreet, Jaebum-nim, therefore I came here. I can’t excuse myself from the house every day now, and when I do, my time is short, so it would be unviable for me to go around searching for agencies far enough. Yours was the closest I found in the span of time my schedule allowed.”

 Jaebum wanted to whimper and kick about just like a kid who was being forced to do something they didn’t want to by their parents. Just that what was forcing him right now was his own conscious. Despite his annoyingly high sense of ethics telling him it was about time he overcame his inner fears and risked himself in behalf of helping others, the selfish side of him kept chanting a very harmonic fuck you to all of that. The concepts of right and wrong engraved in him insisted in butting heads with his self-preservation nature. He still wanted to decline the offer, but he knew he’d be a renowned jerk if he did. It was a frustrating mess.

 The thought that Mr. Choi was borderline paranoid with that whole issue of imminent danger still stuck to him though, like a piece of bubblegum on his shoe that would bother him an inch further with each step he gave. He didn’t want to believe none of that—and a part of him really didn’t—but his conscious kept getting in the way, ironically asking him whether he was going to stain it with more guilt by refusing to help the elder out. Amazing how now even the ghosts of his past were using his traumatic experience to push him into a damned tornado of similar situations that would certainly keep reminding him of what has happened and ground him in this state of constant despair for as long as he breathed. Jaebum pursed his lips to prevent a sarcastic snort from coming out.

 Shoving both hands into the pockets of the hoodie with his drying hair sticking to odd directions, he looked way more casual than the situation demanded of a professional as him. He didn’t mind it that much. “Does, um, does this guy you’re doing all this to protect know about you hiring him a shadow?”

 That single phrase seemed to held more of a confirmation that he’d be giving the job a chance than he’d firstly intended for it to, because the next second Mr Choi’s eyes were shining at him like he’d just said he’d gift him a thousand dollars in cash. Mark raised neatly trimmed eyebrows at him from over Mr. Choi’s shoulder, the surprise simmering on his features a sharp reminder of how it wasn’t likely of Jaebum to take a job he’d denied a couple of minutes prior or that involved anything about being a bodyguard again, let alone both. Yep, he knew he was digging his own grave right there, but he couldn’t bring himself to refrain his moral principles from taking the reins. He made the bed, he might as well lie in it.

“Jinyoung-ssi?” Mr. Choi asked after a while, then shook his head. “No. He believes his dad died from natural causes, just like everyone else. There isn’t any reason for him to know I’m hiring him protection. Only I know about this. Well, and you now.”

 Jaebum grimaced a little. The boy doesn’t knowing about the scheme could be a burden if Jaebum was supposed to stick around by the house, being that under the excuse of investigating a burglary or whatever shit they’d come up with to justify his presence in there. It’d be more practical if he just watched the kid from afar, like he did with Mrs. Chung’s cheating husband, if it’s surveillance what Mr. Choi wanted. However, if granting him some protection was a requirement of the job, Jaebum would have to stick closer than he would as to just spy on the guy. The thought left him feeling uneasy to the point he was growing frustrated again.

“Will this be a problem?” He swept one hand through his hair, gripping the roots and pulling lightly at it. “Is there any chance for him to be against it in case he comes to know, like try running away or playing hide and seek in the bushes to sneak out his room without me noticing it?”

 Mr. Choi gave him a yellow smile. “Kid’s going through a phase right now; throwing tantrums and getting in trouble. He’s been spending more time away from home after what happened, that’s why someone needs to keep track of him. But he’s a good kid, a good kid. Too stubborn to allow himself to grieve, that’s all.”

 Spending more time away from home could be a good thing if what Mr. Choi suspected was true, that it was someone from the inside’s doing, but Jaebum kept the thought to himself. Just like the one about how much easier it’d be if the kid knew about the protection and surveillance deal. It wasn’t his business. He would be there only to do what the elder would be paying him to, no overthinking anything.

 The joyful chirping of birds somewhere close swept in along with the warm breeze of the afternoon, the characteristic smell of the city downtown an ambitious mixture of pollution and soil. Jaebum thought about what he’d be getting himself into again, but before he could think about it too much, he let out a resigned sigh and rolled his shoulders in a stiff way. “How long are you hiring me for?”

“For how long it takes to catch whoever is behind Mr. Park’s death.”

 Jaebum frowned slightly. “I thought you said I wouldn’t have to investigate anything?”

“You won’t, Jaebum-nim. I’m… conducting a side investigation on that matter already. I mean, it’s nothing fancy, not even professional. It’s, well. I’m just keeping an eye on everyone in the house, see if they’re acting strange or something in that aspect. It’s still too recent, Mr. Park’s death. The culprit might be cautious to make a move for now, so we may have to wait a bit. I’m hiring you for a couple of months, I’d say.”

“I see. Sir, I hope you don’t take this wrong, but... what if there isn’t any culprit in all this? What if Mr. Park died because, I don’t know, it was his time to go? Spontaneous heart attacks are not that unlikely in his age.” He took in the subtle frown he saw forming on the old man’s forehead, and sighed deeply. “I’m just saying. What will you do if your ‘side investigation’ leads to a dead end?”

“Then I’ll be able to sleep comfortably at night again knowing Jinyoung-ssi isn’t in danger. It could’ve been a waste of time, yes, I know what you’re implying. But I’m risking myself with my whole visit here already. And you’ll be paid nonetheless, even if nothing comes out of this.”

 Mr. Choi looked Jaebum right in the eyes now, gaze unwavering, unlike the ever so evasive from before. The _tic-tac_ of the wall clock filled the silence that followed, and something heavy hovered in the air as they stared at each other. The elder tipped his chin, assuming the imposing and authoritarian aura his voice hinted if not taken by the faltering pitch of age. For a split of second Jaebum had the impression he was standing before a completely different person then.

“So, Im Jaebum-nim, what do you say? Can we discuss the payment now?” He said while adjusting his coat around himself. It was as if Jaebum had already agreed on taking the job and working for him. And Jaebum crazily thought that maybe he really had.

 He could see Mark sitting back on his chair across the room. The look on his face wasn’t one of the best; there was worry etching every line of his boyish features, and his plump mouth was set into a pursing of lips. It was clear from his body language that he was displeased with that outcome, and wanted to object something, but as usual, he silently kept it to himself so he could bring the hell out and throw Jaebum in it to roast. Jaebum shared the feeling, to some extent.

 Sighing at how Mark had shut himself from the world by hiding behind his laptop to boil the scolding rant he likely intended to vomit on Jaebum later on, he motioned for his new client to sit down again. His self-promise of not taking new cases for the next two weeks laughed him down now, hysteric and deprecating. But he and Mark needed the money, their company needed it, therefore the income of that new case would be highly appreciated. It was an investment, on their future. Mark would surely understand that once he stopped with his brooding.

 A moment passed with him swallowing past the lump in his throat before he dejectedly sat back on his chair again, too. “Of course. Let’s discuss it.”

 


	2. Two

 

 Mark hasn’t said a word throughout the whole meeting with Mr. Choi and his obsession with hiring protection for the son of his deceased boss, but Jaebum knew his best friend well enough to expect to be cornered and scolded about that by the end of the day. He kind of hoped for it, actually. Someone needed to remind him of why he shouldn’t have taken that job and yell at him for hours about how stupid he was for doing just so, and the only person in this world he’d ever accept hearing this from was Mark.

 Mark would approach him as soon as he was alone in the office, or casually accompany him to his Honda parked across the street until it was just the two of them on the sidewalk, and then he’d ask him what the hell he was doing by agreeing on working as a bodyguard again. Even though Mr. Choi had previously stated how it was more like _surveillancing_ than proper _bodyguarding_. It’d still bring back unwanted memories, so Mark would bitch about that for at least thirty minutes before giving up and saying it was his choice. Jaebum could only hope they could have some dinner in the meanwhile. He hasn’t had the time to have lunch earlier, he was positively starving.

 Just as he’d expected, Mark did say he’d be walking him down to his car by the end of their shift, when Jaebum was already saying his goodbye and taking his leave. The finality in Mark’s gravelly voice dismissed every excuse Jaebum might come with to escape the upcoming confrontation, so he didn’t come with none in the end. He hovered by the door, waiting for Mark to finish gathering his belongings and join him in the corridor. It took him another five minutes to fit everything into his messenger bag, and then he was walking up to where Jaebum stood with one foot resting against the aged wall. They flashed one another small smiles before Mark turned off all the lights in their office, locking it in the darkness until the sun bathed its corners the next morning.

 It was the weekend, the next day and the next after the next being their days off. Jaebum remembered to tell Mark there was a pile of his dirty clothes rotting in the cabinet the older used as his locker down in the basement, so they made there their next stop before effectively exiting the building for the weekend.

 Mark refused to take back the hoodie Jaebum borrowed from him, saying it was a chilly night outside and that he couldn’t make it home shirtless anyway, unless he wanted to be stopped on the road by the authorities. Jaebum already knew he would say something like that, it was the same every time Jaebum borrowed some clothes from him, so he just chuckled it off and took the dirty clothes he’d discarded there earlier. They’d make a great team with the ones stuffed into his duffel in the backseat of his car.

 He briefly wondered whether he’d really have the time to do the laundry in the weekend now that he’d taken a new case and had to do some research on his own before his first day of surveillance on Monday. The thought left him as soon as they left the basement to jog up the stairs to the exit of the building anyway.

 It indeed was chilly outside when they stepped out of the building and onto the sidewalk. A canopy of luminous stars stretched over the ocean of blackness above, some dull and merely flickering into existence every now and then, but there was a satisfying and adequate amount of shimmering stars to illuminate the moonless night. Besides, the lampposts were all lit again, warm globes of light brightening the now calmer neighborhood. Jaebum knew Friday nights downtown were lit by the neon lights of the clubs and bars spread around, luxury dripping from every wall like condensation in a sultry evening, but daily life got him too drained to see the proper appeal in that as of now. Maybe he really was becoming some kind of an old man. Grumpy, with back pains and lack of desire to party: checked.

 They crossed the street and Jaebum unlocked his car, throwing the stack of dirty clothes on the backseat without really caring about unzipping his duffel and keeping it in there as well. He’d been mindful enough to take his camera with him back in the office, slipping it into one of his pockets while the older held his keys, wallet and phone. Mark’s hoodie had extremely large and practical pockets. The thought of keeping it to himself like the whole bunch of things he’d borrowed from his friend and furtively taking claim of throughout the years crossed his mind. One more, one less. Mark had plenty of baggy hoodies anyway.

“So, playing the role of a bodyguard again, huh.” Mark called from behind him as he emptied both his pockets onto the passenger seat. There it was. He sighed, more in relief than actual frustration, making his way out the car again to stand at same level as the other on the dimly lit sidewalk.

 Mark wasn’t looking at him, hazel eyes traveling across the vast expanse of the milky sky above their heads. One chubby woman walking her tiny dog passed by them, speeding up on her pace without greeting them as soon as she casted a glance on Jaebum’s direction, as if from fear they’d end up robbing her if she wasn’t fast. Jaebum supposed it was the effect of his heavy stubble and disheveled hair; it got enhanced on its intensity during the nights.

 He watched her sprint away from him, taking pity of the poor dog being dragged through the sidewalk by its leash. Mark shook his head by his side, and Jaebum brought his attention back to him. “It’s more like doing surveillance than being a bodyguard.”

“Yeah?” Mark snorted, still not looking at him. “How do you know? That oldie from earlier seemed keen in hiring protection for the kid. You have to keep an eye on him, okay, but what are you supposed to do if someone threatens him during your surveillance? You won’t be calling the police, that’s for sure ‘cause grandpa doesn’t want them involved. You’ll have to get in action by yourself. Protect him. Like a bodyguard.”

 Jaebum huffed, kicked a pebble off the sidewalk. He knew Mark was right. His own mind had followed the same train of thought before and now even, while hearing the short summary of what his future role would entail, but he was yet too stubborn to admit it and give his friend the right to take him for an idiot for sealing the deal. He wanted to be scolded but didn’t want to pose as a moron right there. Because that’s what he thought about himself right about now.

 Trying to hide his desperate need to kick himself, he chose to attack instead of acting like a grown man and assuming his wrong choices and poor decisions. He shoved both hands on the pockets of the hoodie. “If you’re so against it you should’ve said something back there then, huh? What’s the point of rubbing it on my face now?”

 The dry, brittle laugh that followed it almost made Jaebum flinch. “I didn’t say I was against it, and I ain’t rubbing nothing on anything. Jesus, stop being so fucking childish.”

“I’m not being childish.” The grumpy, whiny tone Jaebum said that with told them both otherwise. Groaning, he reached up and pulled the hood of his borrowed hoodie over his head, tugging on the red strings to bunch the corners around his face in a silly attempt to hide himself from Mark’s wrath. As if he ever could. “Why are you so mad at this anyway?”

“Why, Jaebum? You asking me why?” Mark turned to look back at him now, and this time he did flinch. It was kind of awesome how Mark could be both the embodiment of gentleness one moment and stupidly scary the other. “I’m worried, dammit, that’s why. And I’m worried about you, about what this job might do to you, what it—what memories it might bring back.”

 It was Jaebum’s time to avoid looking Mark in the eyes now. Of course he knew that that was what Mark’s been worrying about all along, but hearing it from his mouth felt like a punch in the stomach all the same. Not because he didn’t appreciate Mark’s consideration and affection toward him, because he did, but the subject always got him feeling uneasy and ready to bolt, so he’d rather avoid the whole hell of it.

 So he did what he did best, he tried to mask his discomfort with a dismissive snort. Luckily enough, Mark knew about that too, and just let him be without taking it to the core. Those were the times Jaebum felt most thankful for Mark’s overprotectiveness and understanding personality, probably. Those were also the ones he felt like the most selfish prick in the world for always being a pain in the ass and giving his friend a headache.

 Turning away from Mark as he did to the truth his words held, he climbed into his car again, leaning over the gearshift to reach for the gloves compartment. There was at least an 89% chance of a half pack of cigarettes being still there after he’d bought them last week, and he really could use a buzz right now. He rummaged the small cabinet for a short while before his fingertips touched the paperboard packaging, soon finding a rectangular lighter in there too.

 When he stepped out of the car again, it was with the pack in one hand and the lighter in the other. Mark made a face at both, and then glared at him. “I already told you this shit is gonna kill you.”

“It wouldn’t be the first one to try,” retorted Jaebum. He shook one cigarette loose from the pack, put it between his dry lips and lit it. There was an artwork on his lighter, some tribal shit with the words _flick me_ painted in red, and he distractedly admired it while taking a long drag of the cigarette. It’s been a gift, he just didn’t remember from whom. It hasn’t been from Mark, that’s for sure. Mark only gifted him funny souvenirs and notebooks for the crappy lyrics of the songs Jaebum would never compose. He smiled and slipped the lighter into the back pocket of his also borrowed jeans.

“I just don’t want to see you all broken again, that’s it. It breaks me too.” Mark declared as Jaebum filled his lungs with smoke, and then he knew Mark wasn’t speaking about the cigarettes anymore. It was about his past and future colliding in his new job again. He exhaled, let the smoke escape from between his parted lips. Tendrils of it curled and danced their way through the hazy air, shifting like ghosts in the night breeze.

 His lungs burned, either from the smoke or the discomfort that subject brought him, he wouldn’t know. One way or another, he dragged from his cigarette again. “I’ll be fine.”

 Mark puffed his cheeks, knowing very well how that meant they wouldn’t be getting anywhere anymore. “Right.” Crossing arms in front of his chest, he leaned back against the side of the car, crossing one ankle over the other as well. His messenger bag thudded the steel bodywork softly. “So you’re moving, then.”

 Jaebum frowned at him, another cloud of smoke drawing abstractly in the air as he exhaled. “Moving what?”

“Apgujeong-dong is quite a ride from here,” a shrug, “since you’ll have to follow the kid around, it wouldn’t be that practical to travel all the way there and back to Sinsa-dong every day.”

 The thought that those were two different districts and that he’d have to move in to Apgujeong-dong if he wanted to do his job right only struck him then, and he groaned pressing the heels of his hands into the sockets of his eyes. “Shit. Haven’t thought about that.”

 He could smell tobacco on his wrists, on himself, and he was aware of how close the cigarette trapped between his index and middle fingers was from the top of his head. When he lowered both hands again, it was to flick the ashes off with a light tap of his thumb on the filter end. The cherry burned scarlet in the dimness of the night.

“Of course not.” Mark  rolled his eyes, but it was with way more endearment than actual reprehension. “That’s what I’m talking about, Jaebum. You just jumped into this, you haven’t thought about the consequences at all. I know the man said they’d give you shelter and everything you needed, but. You didn’t think this straight.”

“Would it make a difference if I did? C’mon, hyung. The money is big. Did you hear how much he offered us? How much we agreed on?” Jaebum shook his head in what he considered an appraising gesture of pleased disbelief. “7 million won, per month. It’s a great deal of cash, and we need it. You know that.”

“Yeah, I know, I know, but that’s not the point. Be serious now, didn’t you find it weird? The whole secrecy about your hiring and the ‘no police involved’ shit? And that man, Choi-something? He looked paranoid. I mean. That looks made up.”

“How’s that?” Jaebum squinted while blowing smoke out through his nose. The night was slowly turning colder, so the white fog that swirled with the wind became more intense and distinguishable from before, sometimes mixing with the clouds of their breaths as they talked.

“Like he’s playing a prank on us.” There was a short pause, and then Mark huffed out a dry laugh. “Not that he seemed like a very humorous dude anyway.”

“I don’t think he’d come all the way down from Apgujeong-dong to play us. And he’s paying, so what would be the point?”

“Maybe he wants to attract you to another area and kidnap you while everyone thinks you’re working. He could kill you and sell your organs to the black market, or sell your whole body to those sick places where gross grandpas take one on young gals.”

 Jaebum actually barked such a sudden laugh at that that he choked midst a drag of the cigarette, coughing and helpless trying to regain his breathe while still laughing his ass off. That was just so fucked he couldn’t stop himself from cracking up. Mark chuckled by his side, laughter curiously high-pitched in contrast to his deep voice, and ducked away from the shove Jaebum tried to punish him with. “Man, you’re the gross one to think of something this fucked up.”

“It could happen.” He turned around, looking directly at Jaebum as soon as his laughing fit ended. “I’m worried, for real now. It could be dangerous, if what that Choi guy said is true. I just want to make sure you know about that and will actually take care of yourself there. You’ll have a lot in mind already, but just. Be careful, all right?”

 Regarding his friend for a bit longer than he’d intended to, he allowed himself to acknowledge the raw worry that brushed every corner of his troubled yet serious face. Mark was older than him, so he felt somewhat responsible for him like he would to a younger brother. Jaebum appreciated it, however it only made him feel worse when his stupid self-protecting mechanism tried to push him away. He didn’t deserve such kindness. And yet he still dared to feel grateful whenever Mark didn’t even flinch under his harsh words and ultimately chose to stay by side.

“I know. I will.” He nodded, resolute. “And hey, you’ll keep watching my back from here, you got researches and tracking stuff to do, too. We’re still a team.” One smirk pulled at the corner of his mouth as he added, “and if you don’t call me each three hours to brief me in, I’ll kick your ass.”

 Some of the apprehension that clouded Mark’s face dissipated, like the clouds of smoke Jaebum blew into the chilly air. He grinned, sharp and pointed canines making him look adorable. “You got it, boss.”

 Jaebum nodded again, this time with a warm smile on his lips. He took the last few puffs of the cigarette and flicked it away on the ground, stepping on the butt to put it out under the sole of his shoe. With a soft clearing of his throat, he scratched the stubble on his jaw almost shyly while averting his eyes from Mark’s ones. “Thank you, hyung.” It came out as barely a whisper, but it was enough for Mark to hear it. Mark replied it with another grin and a warm squeeze on his shoulder, and then that’s that.

 They stood in the sidewalk for a few more moments before Jaebum spoke again, this time louder than he had the last time. “I’m hungry. Wanna go grab dinner somewhere?”

 Mark beamed at the idea, promptly agreeing with it. In that neighborhood, there were a lot of restaurants and convenience stores that stayed open until late at night, but none of them was located in that specific street, so they’d have to walk at least two blocks to reach the nearest establishment if they wanted to go by foot. Since none of them was in the mood of taking a walk under the moonless sky, they both climbed into Jaebum’s car and buckled up. The car pulled away, and they agreed on deciding where they would eat on their way there.

 

 Miraculously, and Jaebum really didn’t know how, he managed to do the whole of his accumulated laundry in two days. Some superficial research on behalf of gathering background information and getting acquainted with his new client’s routine has also been done in the meanwhile, as well as a quick survey in his bedroom where he rummaged the drawers to fish out enough personal belongings (like clean clothes, brand new toothbrush and toothpaste) to last for the couple of months he’d be out in the field.

 When the last load of freshly washed clothes ended its cycle and the washing machine beeped a couple of rooms away and down the corridor by Sunday night, he’d already put great part of his stuff in a travel bag and left it open over his bed for the rest of the things he intended to shove in later. Those couple of days had been satisfyingly productive. Jaebum heaved a relieved sigh before shuffling back to the dining table, where his laptop laid open in the last page he’d visited on the internet.

 Doing background research on their clients was Mark’s job, but Jaebum thought it wouldn’t be an entire waste to do some digging around on his own before Mark filled him in next Monday morning. And to be honest, he’s been itching to know more of that case since the old man, Choi Eungchan, left his office on Friday afternoon.

 As Mark had said to him later that same day, it was weird. The whole story seemed off somehow, an intriguing, foreboding feeling that extricated itself from somewhere deep. He wanted to know more about that family, the Parks, and Monday was taking too long to come. So he immediately launched into a cursory research about them.

 Belatedly realizing he had forgotten to ask Mr. Choi what was Mr. Park’s full name during their meeting, he decided to try typing the words ‘Park’, ‘heart attack’, ‘petroleum industry’ and ‘oil company’ into the search tap and see if he got anywhere. Apparently, he did. A couple of results appeared, some being a bunch of useless shit, some being exactly what he was looking for. Silently beaming at having succeeded without Mark’s help, he clicked on the first few ones and started soaking in information as if he were a big sponge on a puddle of water.

 For what he could gather, Mr. Park was the patriarch of one of the wealthiest families in Seoul, who made his name in the Science & Engineering area by chemically inventing a new oily substance which components and properties nearly equaled the ones of natural petroleum, being able to be refined into various types of fuels as well, and thus offering an environmentally friendly solution to the negative impact the use of fossil fuels has on the biosphere. It was such an important project, its development still crawling towards perfection with baby steps under the rough estimative of fifty years until it could achieve the stage of bulk production and the rights to be used worldwide. Despite of that, the flabbergasting income for such revolutionary discovery has started to weight on his bank account since then, fattening it up like a pig.

 Jaebum whistled, awed. Mr. Choi’s motives to think there were people who were after the Parks’ money had some fundament as it seemed, because damn did they have a golden mine behind doors. Absolutely everyone would be attracted to it. Though murdering the man and then going after his son only to put their hands on the money still seemed a little… too bizarre for Jaebum to believe. He didn’t believe the Parks were stupid enough to stock up cash in a safe box somewhere around the house, and even if they did, their fortune would only triplicate with the years so it’d be pointless to try and steal only a small part when you could have the whole of it.

 However, the only way to have all that daily growing fortune now was through the heritage left to the patriarch’s son, through the kid’s future deed even, therefore the older man’s suspicion that it was someone from the inside could be accurate, perhaps? Someone whose name would be in the deed. It could be a lead, if not for the fact that the kid was probably too young to be inclined to write a deed right about now, so Jaebum kind of didn’t believe that theory either. It had to be something else—if it was something at all.

 One exasperated huff left his mouth. He wasn’t being paid to believe or disbelieve anything anyway. He wasn’t even being paid to investigate and come up with crazy theories of his own like he was doing now, for god’s sake. That side of the story was none of his business, so he simply skimmed his fingers through his greasy hair and told himself to move on.

 The next name he searched on was Choi Eungchan. There weren’t many results, but Jaebum didn’t think there would be anyway. After checking two or three of them, he could conclude the elder was the Parks’ butler and has been doing the job for quite a couple of years already. In one of the sites Jaebum visited, it stated which university Mr. Choi had attended to while in his youth, and Jaebum distantly remembered (from his research) it being the same one Mr. Park had attended while developing that new oil. Maybe they knew each other since there, once he remembers Mr. Choi stating how he has seen Mr. Park through his youth and aging, though he couldn’t be all that sure about it. He filled in the information nonetheless.

 When he searched Park Jinyoung on the web, more than a thousand results were found. He groaned inwardly, backspacing it all to include the information he’d gathered on Mr. Park and take the lead from there. It took him more than five minutes to find the right person, but when he did, it wasn’t all that helpful or enlightening altogether. The only information he found on Park Jinyoung was that he was the great Energy Engineer Park’s son, and that’s that. No picture, no social media profiles, nothing.

 Jaebum leaned back on his chair, stretching both arms over his head and hearing the rejoicing creak of his bones and sore muscles under the stimulation. Staring at the screen without really seeing it, he thought about his next step. It’d be useless to try and search further on the Park household on plain internet, and he wasn’t Mark to know how to dive into more secretive sites to obtain the information he needed, so he figured it’d be better to wait for tomorrow to be either briefed in by his friend or find it by himself after arriving at their house in Apgujeong-dong. He’d done enough for today after all.

 Avoiding thinking about his upcoming schedule for the next couple of weeks and what working on that field again would unbury, he closed his laptop and carried it back to his bedroom. The next few hours were spent in finishing packing his stuff in the travel bag, and when he was done with that, he called it a day. The dreamless sleep that followed him throwing himself onto his old, annoyingly squeaking bed was undoubtedly preferable over another nightmare about terraces and wine showers.

 

 Jaebum looked at both sides of the crossroad, growing restless. He wasn’t familiarized with Apgujeong-dong’s streets, never been there before, therefore him getting lost somewhere along the way shouldn’t be a surprise for anyone. Of course, Mr. Choi had emailed him the address and route to the Parks’ residence earlier in the morning, and he had dutifully entered it on his phone’s GPS before putting his foot on the road, but sometimes things just didn’t go the way they should.

 And his phone battery suddenly dying as he approached the crossroad was a great example of that. Maybe it was even a signal of some sort. Or maybe he’s just been stupid enough to forget charging it up last night before going to sleep.

 The point was, now that he was lost and stuck with a dead phone, he wasn’t able to call Mark for help or just check the GPS again and go. Punching the steering wheel with the heel of one hand in an outburst, he huffed. At least the weather wasn’t mercilessly hot and stuffy like it has been the whole past week.

 Sagging against his seat, he finally killed the engine and then took a deep breath, flipping through his options in his head. They weren’t much, neither were they positive enough for him to get hopeful. In fact, the only viable option he had at the moment was to sit down and wait up until some stray soul happened to walk through there so he could ask for information and leads. The last two things he liked to do.

 As he waited, he turned the radio on and occupied himself with surfing through the stations. Usually he’d go for some blues or casual ballads when listening to music, but oddly enough, today he left it on a country music station, allowing the trotting song to fill the car as his thoughts strayed to the case he wasn’t supposed to think all that much about but was on his way to dig in anyway after today.

 Mark had called him earlier in the morning to brief him in, as he’d expected. Nothing of what he had to say has been all that different from what Jaebum has discovered by himself during the weekend, just some complementing information on Mr. Park’s and his son’s background. The only thing that got his attention was Mark saying the kid, Park Jinyoung, was actually only eight months younger than himself—who had just swerved from twenty four to twenty five in January.

 For some reason, Jaebum had kind of assumed from his talk with the old man that Park Jinyoung was a rebel teenager at the brink of fourteen who didn’t know shit about what was happening and thus needed protection because he was too immature to take care of himself. The news that the “kid” was in fact a grown man already kind of struck him dumb. However, independent of their age, everyone needed protection in cases like those so it didn’t really matter all that much. He wasn’t there to judge nobody.

 Bored to hell after waiting for more than half an hour, Jaebum put himself to admire the view he had from behind the windshield. There was a lot of green. Small bushes of a pretty forest-green ran along the side of the crossing roads, each escorted by rows of fetching pine trees backed up by a dark yellow-green carpet spreading in a vast greenery field that lined the horizon, rural scenery holding hands with the pale sky above. It was so naturally beautiful, and it somehow already looked fancy as it was. Jaebum knew he couldn’t be that much far from there, aware that the neighborhood the Parks lived in was in a more exclusive zone than the natural hustle of Apgujeong’s downtown, yet he couldn’t decide which way to go.

 As he meditated on how that crossroad could be some metaphorical analogy to his own life, he suddenly heard commotion coming from one of the roads and automatically snapped his head towards that direction. Two guys were coming by, one speaking so loud it overpowered the country song that played on the car’s radio, the other silently taking in whatever was being said to him.

 And just as he noticed them, they also seemed to notice his car—suspiciously parked in the middle of the street—and then there’d been a significant delay on their pace as they approached. It turned out later that only one of the two guys had actually slowed down then, the rationally cautious dude being the one who had been talking loudly before. The other only strode more fiercely and defiantly on Jaebum’s general direction after sensing the danger a foreign car parked in a crossroad could mean, if anything. It was common sense to become more guarded and hesitant in a situation like that. Jaebum already labeled the bold dude there as an idiot just for being so reckless.

 Taking that as his only chance to acquire some information and hopefully get the hell out of there, he turned the radio off and made his way out of the car, calmly, if only not to scare the passersby away. He watched the cautious dude quickly sprinting and catching up to the bold one after seeing him stepping out, and the silent support and protectiveness coming away from that behavior faintly reminded him of his friendship with Mark. He wondered whether Mark had tried to reach him through his dead phone and started panicking once it went straight to voicemail already.

“Excuse me,” Jaebum called when the other two were about to pass by him in the crossroad, and he wasn’t surprised to see the chatty one ignoring him and trying to pull the other away as he kept walking. Neither was he surprised when the reckless one ignored his friend and stopped on his tracks at the calling, turning around to face him as if Jaebum had just challenged him into a fight.

 They looked young from upclose. Cautious dude was the shortest between the three of them, and his hair was bleached to an almost pearl white, the yellowish undertones making it look more on the fair blonde note, an exquisite match with the caramel hue coloring his eyebrows. His face was all sharp edges and angles, pointy nose, doe eyes and a glimpse of plump lips, softly tanned skin glowing healthily in the pale sun. His build was muscular, one of who visited the gym quite often. Jaebum had once been on the more muscular type, too, in his early twenties, but shit happened and he quit doing workouts. There’s a lot of things Jaebum quit doing in the past years.

 The bold guy was quite the opposite. Chocolate brown hair, silky strands the color of fallen leaves sleek with the first rain of autumn, not dark but simply gentle in the light. Thick eyebrows paired up with a straight nose and expressive, incredibly sharp eyes. Smooth and fair skin creating a dazzling contrast with the rosy peach of his rosebud lips. Round face a conglomerate of soft edges and gentle features, which all but contradicted the petulant expression he wore as scrutinizing Jaebum thoroughly. They had about the same height although the guy was slimmer and apparently had way less muscles than his blond friend, so it wasn’t all that hard for him to tip his head back and stare Jaebum down.

 The way they were dressed definitely was something else. Ripped jeans, a tight black sleeveless shirt for the blond guy and a black tee under one heavy leather jacket for the brunette, and dark shoes. The both of them went all out to dress like bad boys, even their hairstyles were carelessly disheveled or swept up with some gel, but every garment they wore were obviously from some famous brand Jaebum didn’t even recognize the name of. It wouldn’t surprise Jaebum if they happened to be only a couple of rich teenagers from the area itching to get in trouble and trying maybe too hard to look like they didn’t give a fuck. Well, at least one of them he was 80% sure that was.

“Excuse me,” he tried again, “I kinda got lost here, do you happen to know how do I get to the Parks’?”

 The brunette narrowed his eyes, and the way he studied Jaebum would’ve done him flinch if he weren’t all too used to being glared at already. It was at that moment he noticed the lollipop trapped between the guy’s lips, when he suddenly smirked around the white stick resting by the side of his mouth. The bulge it created on his round cheek shifted ever so slightly, probably being licked off inside the kid’s mouth.

 Jaebum shifted his gaze to the cautious dude, who by now had already given up on trying to drag his friend away and simply stood by his side offering silent support, and was welcomed by the same amused expression that contorted the other’s features. They looked at him as though he’d just said something unbelievably funny and intriguing at the same time. He tried his best not to growl an impatient ‘what’ at them both in the minutes that followed the mocking silence.

“What do you want with them?” Slipping the lollipop out of his mouth and letting it linger against the seam of his lips, the brunette asked back. Mirth danced in his dark eyes, as well as some kind of deeper and more intense emotion Jaebum couldn’t put his finger into. It was like he wanted to play with Jaebum, and scare him away somehow.

 Jaebum quickly went through his options. He couldn’t say the truth, tell those strangers he was there to creep on some rich kid to make sure he would stay out of trouble while his family’s butler ran a side investigation about who in their house was more likely to put him in a coffin for the money he inherited. He would’ve to make something up for now, at least before he settled on something with Mr. Choi later on.

 Therefore, he said the first excuse that came up to his mind, even though it’s been the lamest, shittiest and dumbest one ever. The one that shouldn’t be expected from a professional whose job was to be discreet and don’t attract suspicions on him. “I’m friends with…” his eyebrows jerked ever so slightly as he momentarily forgot the kid’s name and tried to remember it again. Once it popped to the front of his mind again, he exhaled, “I’m friends with Jinyoung-ah.”

 The reactions that followed were, at best, interesting. While the blond dude frowned so hard his eyebrows almost became one in the middle of his forehead, the other simply cocked his head to the side with an amused sneer blooming in his naturally pouty mouth.

“Oh, yeah?” The brunette stuck his lollipop back into his mouth before slurping noisily around it, seemingly giving the explanation a thought. One obliging nod in the direction of his blond friend, and then he was sliding his dark eyes back to Jaebum with something unreadable glistening in them. He nodded. “I see.”

“It’s my first time visiting, and my phone died so I don’t know how to get there without the GPS.” Jaebum tried his best to look convincing, not even shifting under the hard glare he was being regarded with by the shortest of them. He knew the guy somewhat suspected something. Crap, he shouldn’t really give that much information if he didn’t want to get called out on his bullshit.

 Maybe that was a sign? If his cover were to be blown that easily and quickly, maybe that job really wasn’t for him to be doing. He’s never been one to believe in destiny, fate, or those kind of bullshit, but he couldn’t deny he was actually considering the truth behind them right then. Maybe that was the universe—or just what they call the greater force, really—hinting at him how he shouldn’t get himself involved with the Parks. And he caught himself wondering if that weren’t the best option for him, to just call it a mistake and get his ass back to Sinsa-dong as fast as he could.

 But then there was his annoying sense of commitment gnawing at his conscious, scolding him like a mother who caught him misbehaving and then proceeded to forbid him to stray from his professionalism. He’d have whined in dismay if he were alone, but he took it in like a big boy for the sake of not embarrassing himself even further in the presence of those two likely rich kiddos. Looking dumb for getting himself lost and possibly caught in his lie was enough for one day.

“Hmm,” one voice snapped him from his thoughts, and he had to blink a few times to refocus on who was speaking to him now. The brunette guy was giving him a once-over while twirling the stick of his lollipop in the ring of his puckered mouth, left and right, left and right. Taking it out with a loud _pop_ again, he pointed it at one of the two directions set apart by the crossroad—the one they were coming from. “You just gotta go this way, drive a couple of miles ahead and then turn left.”

 Jaebum looked the way the guy had pointed at and then nodded, looking back at him only to watch his shorter friend snort while shaking his head as if he couldn’t believe in what had just happened. The brunette had the lollipop back into his mouth by then, and he grinned around it in jovial way when they made eye contact. Jaebum tried to ignore the unsettling feeling that prickled the back of his neck at that whole scene.

 Something felt off, but he didn’t pay it much mind. “Alright. Thank you.” He said instead, nodding at the two of them before turning on his feet and making his way back to his Honda in confident steps. He could feel two pairs of eyes boring into the back of his head, but didn’t look back to confirm it.

 As he slid back into his car, though, he couldn’t help but notice how the other two guys’ reactions have switched somehow in the meanwhile. Now, the blond had an amused grin on his lips as he gripped the other’s arm to prompt him to start walking their way again, and the brunette wore a somewhat wary expression while still looking in Jaebum’s direction. However, before he could dwell too much on that sudden change of demeanor, the couple was already turning to leave and resume their outing.

 Jaebum started the engine and did the same, just that in the opposite direction.

 

 It turned out that he’d been fooled into the wrong direction. Or that’s what another passerby told him an hour later, after he’d been riding by those interminable fields without a single view of the Parks’ residence anywhere he looked for quite a while. The woman, casually elegant and likely in her early thirties, had pursed her pink lips in thought when Jaebum slowed down to ask her for guidance, and then she was pointing at the other direction while saying he was heading the wrong way.

“There’ll be a crossroad up ahead,” she’d said, all polite despite her silent scrutinizing of Jaebum’s cheap clothes and beaten-up car, “if you took the main road here, you must’ve crossed it, right?” Jaebum nodded, so she nodded, too. “Ok. Back then, you should’ve turned right. The Parks’ residence is that way. Coming from this way now, you must keep straight, and you’ll eventually end up there. It’s practically impossible to miss their property once you’re in the right way.”

 Jaebum had listened closely to her instructions, thanking her profusely once she finished. They exchanged farewells and then he was on the road again, jaw snapping to the side as he grinded his teeth. He remembered the right path in the crossroad to be the one those two guys were heading to, so the brunette has likely sent him in the wrong direction on purpose before.

 At the moment, his temper was boiling in such intensity he didn’t see why he’d do that to him other than because he was one of those fucking teenagers who made fun of everything just to look cool. So the thought stuck, and as he reached the crossroad again to take the right turn now, he swore not to trust brats wearing expensive clothes, disheveled hair and sucking lollipops ever again in his life.

 

 It hasn’t been hard to find the Parks’ residence after taking the right route. Of course, the fact that the property’s land filled up a whole block helped a bit, too.

 Secluded among pine trees and eucalypts on one of Seoul’s most exclusive streets, the Parks’ residence had this distinct feel of superiority that got on Jaebum’s nerves like a needle. Equally sophisticated properties had a spot in the fancy neighborhood, and they all posed together in a portrait of ostentatious and extravagance.

 Calling it a mansion would come away as an overreaction, but the place truly was huge and expensive looking. There were two smaller homes connected to the main residence, and they all kind of reminded Jaebum of a museum for their amazing width. Dark stones carpeted the roof and exterior walls in an antique way, shining in elegantly aged shades of graphite and silver every time sunrays caressed the rough edges. Beige strokes traced the edges of beautiful high arched windows and drew subtle lines onto the brick design that ran along the wide façade, details that matched the twin narrow pillars of whitewashed concrete standing by the porch, holding up a round balcony that loomed over the marble entrance. He admired the main house for a couple of minutes more before thinking it had too many windows despite the symmetrical beauty in them.

 It was a beautiful place, from the idyllic garden spread before and around the residence to the residence itself. Jaebum felt a disturbing sense of dejavu while looking at the variety of flowery bushes and tall trees and the impeccably trimmed grass mantling the property in green. There hasn’t been much time since he’d stood in a similarly decorated yard, with similar gravel paths and even a similar fountain, gracefully jetting water into the air like a spray of twinkling diamonds kissed by the sunlight for dramatic effects. Rich people seemed to have a thing for extravagant gardens, just like they did to all the rest.

 Taking a deep breath, Jaebum leapt out of his car and snapped the door shut. It was parked across the street and yet it had a clear view of the whole property. He could only hope their security system worked better than the low brick wall and steel fence that surrounded the place. It wasn’t like they’re really putting some effort into securing the area all that tightly though, given how they being under a possible attack at any moment was a secret for only Mr. Choi and Jaebum to keep as of now. The low brick wall and steel fence would’ve looked appropriate if it weren’t for that.

 A time for them to meet hasn’t been stipulated, but Jaebum had replied to Mr. Choi’s email in the early morning saying he’d be up there around eleven, and thus they could talk about what story they wanted to make up to keep the investigation under the rug for the time being. He had hoped it’d make the older wait for him by the gate, so they could discuss it without Jaebum having to talk to anyone else, but when he arrived at the set of rusty bars leading to the garden, there was no one there.

 He huffed, looking around and seeing nothing besides the wide entrance and some folks in the distance, walking up the street in his general direction. Hoping they would mind neither his presence in there nor the obviously worn out and too street-like clothes he chose to wear in such an elegant neighborhood, he flipped his phone out to try and call his client up. Only to realize how his phone was still dead and unavailable at the moment. Great, really just great. He huffed again, pocketing it one more time.

 Eyes alert to every movement on the street, he tried to be polite and greet the folks who passed by him with a nod of head then, but they didn’t even acknowledge him as they walked straight ahead without a single glance on his direction. Yeah, well. It’s better that way, after all. Last time he tried to be nice he ended up lost and fooled, so who cares about good manners anyway.

 In that situation, Jaebum had a few options of what he could do to achieve his goal. First, he could ring the bell and wait for someone to pick it up. But then he couldn’t guarantee it’d be Mr. Choi the one to do it, and speaking to someone from the house without a backup plan whilst knowing fully well how someone in there might be a murderer in the worst case scenario… wasn’t a smart move. So that’s a no-no. Second, he could wait there until someone showed up. But then, again, what if the person who showed up first was someone he shouldn’t be giving too much information to? Or someone who mistook him for a possible burglar and called the police right way? That’s a no-no, too.

 Of course, he could recharge his phone in the car and make the calls he needed to get his ass out of that trouble, but he hadn’t packed the USB cable which fitted in the charging plug on the car’s panel, just the one that went on the wall power socket, and they were slight different. And then that’s another option he couldn’t use. What left him with zero options for now.

 Jaebum groaned low in his throat. Trying to think of something to do other than standing in there rooted to his spot like a full damn idiot, he started to make his way back to his car, when a sound of metal scraping suddenly echoed from behind. He turned in time to see a lean figure crossing the sliding open gates, and their eyes met before both startled with surprise, taken aback by the unexpected encounter.

“Oh, shit, you scared me,” the boy hissed, grimacing with one hand over his chest, probably to check if his heart was still beating as it should. Relieved, mildly embarrassed giggles bubbled out of him, that was, until the giddiness from his scare faded away and he seemed to realize how rude and improper it was to greet someone like that. And it was way worse if it happened to be someone from an upper status—which Jaebum surely wasn’t, but he kept his mouth shut and just watched the other fidgeting awkwardly anyway. “I mean, good day, sir.”

 Jaebum gave him a short wave of hand, dismissing the highly-esteemed treatment he didn’t deserve. From the monochromatic work clothes and modest behavior, he could gauge the boy’s occupation in that house. They weren’t that much far apart when it came to social status, if at all. That alone made Jaebum take a rare liking on the boy, strangely enough.

 Once the boy finished messing with the buttons on the remote control he had flipped out his dress pants pocket while Jaebum spaced out, the gates slowly slid shut again. Not to come away as rude one more time, he glanced back at Jaebum with a small smile on his lips, nodding his goodbye and then turning on his heels to walk away. And he even managed to give three steps down the street, that is, before Jaebum was calling after him.

“Excuse me,” as soon as the boy turned around to quirk eyebrows at him, he continued, “is Choi Eungchan home?”

 A moment passed with them staring at each other, the boy trying to decide whether he could trust Jaebum enough to answer his question truthfully, and Jaebum hoping that he would. It didn’t last long, though, because soon enough there was warm smile being shot his way. “Oh.” The boy exclaimed, cheerful and friendly. “Oh, you’re friends with Eungchan seonsaeng-nim?”

 The other looked so overjoyed to have an acquaintance in common with him that Jaebum didn’t have the heart to say that no, they weren’t exactly friends. But he couldn’t really explain his relationship with the older man to him either, so he just settled for the less suspicious answer. Nodding stiffly, he coughed out, “kinda.”

“Okay.” He walked back those three steps he’d taken forward before. “Yes, he’s home. Does he know you’re here? Want me to call him for you?”

“He knows, but I got late and then my phone ran out of battery and I can’t announce myself, so.” Jaebum shrugged, feeling kind of stupid for repeating that excuse again and again and again, even though it was the truth. Maybe that’s what bothered him the most, the fact that it was dumb and had really happened. He thumbed at the general direction of the gates, “so, could you? Call him for me, I mean.”

“Of course!” The boy chirped in English, and although Jaebum didn’t quite know why they’re suddenly talking in another language now, he made sure to reply that with a fluent ‘thank you’ of his own. They exchanged brief smiles again as the boy opened the gates for the second time in ten minutes, and then Jaebum watched him dashing inside the property to grant his request. The gates were left all open now.

 Jaebum couldn’t help grimacing at how easy it was to sneak into the Parks’ residence. Anyone could do it by this point, and if they happened to chat with that lively boy from just now, it wasn’t unlikely that he’d end up taking them in a tour around the three houses. Shoving both hands into the pockets of his (Mark’s) baggy jeans, he sighed, puffing his cheeks until he looked like a chipmunk. They surely had to step up their security game—that is, if there _really_ was any kind of danger threatening anyone in there. What he was each passing minute surer that there wasn’t.

 One thought occurred to him as he waited for the boy to come back, and then he was throwing one glance around the street, admiring the expensive rooftops of the neighboring houses. He was about to move in to Apgujeong, in order to do his job right. Mr. Choi had said they could give him shelter if he wanted, in the Parks’ house, but Jaebum still didn’t think it was a good idea at all. Renting a place somewhere close would be better; he’d have his privacy and wouldn’t have to sleep with the imminent fear of someone killing him during his most vulnerable moment. Yeah, that’d be definitely better. He should check if there were any available houses around there, but just by looking at that neighborhood now, he could see how difficult and expensive it’d be. His only hope lied in the possibility of Mr. Choi paying for everything.

 As if called by his thoughts, the older man suddenly materialized in front of Jaebum with the bouncy boy from before in tow, the two of them sporting contrasting expressions. While the boy looked happy and content with himself for completing his task of bringing Mr. Choi to him, Mr. Choi looked nervous and edgy—probably due to another person knowing about Jaebum’s presence in there, and even before himself. Jaebum nodded a greeting at them, nonetheless.

“Good morning, Jaebum-nim,” Mr. Choi greeted, extending his hand for a handshake. Jaebum took it, shook it, and then proceeded to do the same with the boy, if only to be polite, since they haven’t properly exchanged greetings before. The other squeezed the shit out of his hand while smiling brightly. Jaebum couldn’t help smiling a bit, too.

“I see you’ve already met our Youngjae-ssi.” The elder said at the same time the boy exclaimed “I’m Choi Youngjae, nice to meet you, sir!”, one voice overpowering the other for one second. Jaebum looked between them, amused, choosing to only nod and offer his full name in return.

“Choi…?” He mused after a while, slowly realizing how they both had the same surname. “Are you two related or something?”

 The boy, Youngjae, waved both hands in front of his chest. “No, no. We just happened to be both Choi. Quite a coincidence, right?” He leaned in, as if to tell Jaebum something only him could hear. “I guess seonsaeng-nim dotes on me because of that. He isn’t the same with Jinyoung hyung.”

 He returned to his previous spot with a wide grin stretching his mouth, and Jaebum risked a glance at the older man beside him. Mr. Choi acted like he hasn’t heard it, but the subtle pursing of his lips paired up with how he tried to indulge Youngjae said otherwise. He looked slight frustrated for some reason. Jaebum didn’t comment on it, though. It wasn’t his place to.

“Youngjae-ssi was about to go grocery shopping downtown, so he can’t stay over to chat with us, sadly.” At this Youngjae looked over, seemingly getting the hint and nodding as if to confirm that he really had to leave, the expression on his face one of embarrassment for maybe talking too much—or too comfortably—with their guest.

“We can chat some more later then,” Jaebum meddled in, if only to see enthusiasm flickering back to the boy’s docile eyes as he nodded even more eagerly than before. He had really taken a liking in that kid.

 After meekly excusing himself, Youngjae bowed to them both and then sauntered down the street. Jaebum watched him go for one moment before turning to face Mr. Choi again. “Who’s he?”

“The cook’s son.” He signaled for Jaebum to follow him while turning on his heels to walk back inside the property. Jaebum spared one last look in the direction Youngjae had slowly disappeared into before walking in through the gates after the older man. “He usually volunteers to go shopping for his mother, and since he prefers to go by foot and watch the view while on it, we let him decline the driver sometimes. It’s not that far away, the supermarket. So it’s like a relaxing walk for him.”

 Jaebum nodded his understanding. He’d already figured Youngjae was some kind of servant in that house, so it made sense he had to run errands here and there every once in a while. His only concern lied in whether the chirpy boy was somewhat involved in any of that shit Mr. Choi believed to be happening within their four walls. He hoped not.

 As they crossed the gravel path to the main house’s entryway, shoes noisily compressing the fine small rocks underneath, Jaebum caught movement by the windows through his peripheral vision and looked upwards. Indeed, after a quick sweeping of eyes over the huge front, he could make a blurry figure out, standing by one window on the third floor. It was hard to discern who was there, but either man or woman, they seemed to be looking straight back at him, one hand drawing the dark-red curtains to peek outside.

“How was your ride? It surely took you a while to get here.” Mr. Choi said, conversationally, and Jaebum took his eyes from the figure behind the high arched window to focus them on the back of the shorter man’s head. He wasn’t wearing a hat today, but his hairstyle was just as elegant as that day in the office.

 Shrugging even though he knew there wasn’t how the elder would see the gesture, he replied, “I got lost.” The image of the brunette guy sucking around that rosy lollipop before sending him in the wrong direction flashed across his mind, and he did his best not to grit his teeth. “Took the wrong turn.”

 Mr. Choi gave him a surprised look from over one shoulder. “The route I emailed you wasn’t explanative enough? You could still have called, Jaebum-nim, I would’ve tried to be more specific about the directions.”

“No, it wasn’t your fault, sir, your instructions were very clear and easy to follow. The problem is, I forgot to charge my phone yesterday and while I was driving up here, it died. I couldn’t either access the GPS with the route you gave me, nor call you for help. The fault was mine.”

“Ah, I see. It gladdens me to see you’ve found your way here, nonetheless. It’s not even that late, only a quarter past noon. I can arrange for you to have lunch if you’re hungry.”

 Jaebum simply hummed at that, doesn’t make it clear if he was either accepting or declining the offer of a hot meal. Mr. Choi didn’t pry further into that matter anyway, and soon enough they were standing by the marble entrance. As the elder opened the door for him, Jaebum casted a quick glance at that window on the third floor again. He saw the shadow up there moving as well, fingers releasing their hold on the curtains, and then it was gone.

 Jaebum allowed himself to frown discreetly at this for one moment, and then flashed a polite smile towards the older man as he stepped into the house and signaled for him to come in, too. Stepping across the threshold in the doorway, he tried not to think about how he still felt eyes on him somehow.

 That wasn’t the first time Jaebum entered such a sophisticated room, in fact, the similarity of this and the last place he’d worked in as a bodyguard was enough to get him sick. Just like the it did with the feeling of dejavu he’s experienced outside. He could feel the short hairs at his nape standing on end, alarmed.

 Mark was right; he hadn’t thought about the consequences of striking himself into that kind of situation again. The prospect of him effectively taking that job looked each time worse. Not that he could go back on his decision now. He was afraid it was already kind of too late for that.

 All the walls and carpeted floor in the hall house were white, creamed beige by the warm lights spread around. It would’ve looked way too bright if it weren’t for the deep brown of the baseboard and wooden doors that led to several adjacent rooms Jaebum was yet to be showed to. The spiral stair rising from one corner of the room also had a few details in mahogany, on the handrail mostly, and the lengthy railing stretched itself from the lower floor to the upper one, edging the whole area of the second floor.

“We should talk in private,” Mr. Choi was saying as they stopped by the end of the stairs, Jaebum distractedly looking around, “so we can discuss about your schedule today onwards, and how you’d want your accommodations to be. Either here, or at a hotel. We’ll cover everything.”

 There was a large mirror attached to the wall on their left, right across the closed double doors that likely led to the living room or someplace equally roomy, and although it did give a tasteful touch to the decor, Jaebum couldn’t get why it was hung there, of all places. Staring at his own reflection for a while, he hummed. “All right. There are a few things I want to discuss with you, too.”

“Let’s go to the library, then. We can talk comfortably in there.” Something crossed the elder’s face, and then his expression hardened for one second, becoming troubled in the next. He threw an apologetic look in Jaebum’s direction. “I’m sorry, Jaebum-nim, but can I ask you to wait here for a moment? I was in the middle of something before you arrived, and I have to take care of it first. It’ll be really quick.”

“Of course, of course, don’t mind me. Do what you gotta do.” Assented Jaebum, nodding. It wasn’t like he was expecting the butler to have cleared all his schedule for him anyway, even less after he’d made the man wait for over an hour for him to arrive there.

“I’ll be shortly back,” he assured him once again, looking almost anxious for having to leave him there alone, for as shortly as it may be. Jaebum went all the way to give the older a few pats on the shoulder for emphasis that it was okay for him to go, so after one more moment resigning himself, Mr. Choi did just that.

 Watching him leave with an additional hurriedness to his every step, Jaebum couldn’t help thinking about how fairly weird that whole situation still was. There was just something in that house, in the eerie atmosphere surrounding it, that got his stomach tightening in discomfort. Or maybe it was all about himself, about him being about to play that game with rich people again, and the imminent fear of repeating his mistakes from before that tagged along. Whatever it was, it clawed at Jaebum’s chest every now and again.

 He didn’t know for how long he stood there waiting, didn’t count the minutes. However, he was positive it hasn’t been even five of them when he found himself in the presence of someone else again.

 He’d been leaning against the railing while idly watching the chandelier hung in the middle of the ceiling when he heard someone coming downstairs, and even though his first reaction would usually be to turn around and greet whoever it was with some excuse as for why he was there and who he was, this time he simply stood by and waited.

 And less than one minute later (he counted), a familiar voice was blooming from somewhere behind him. “I see you still found your way here. Took you quite long, tho.”

 Jaebum narrowed his eyes, the penny dropping at the same time his stomach did, and when he turned his head to glare at who was addressing him then, he was met by the same smirk from before. Just that now he knew it to be more on the mocking note than actual amusement.

 The brunette guy who had misled him back in the crossroad stood a few steps up the stairway behind him, and even though his expensive clothes and disheveled hair were the same as before, now he was barefoot and there was no lollipop melting away in his mouth. The sudden want to climb up the stairs and break at least three of those white teeth with one single punch swept all his surprise at meeting the brat again, and he had to grip the handrail in order to prevent his pissed-off self from surging forward.

 Trying to act cooler and calmer than he felt on the inside, Jaebum risked greeting him back with one contemptuous smile, which he was sure that still looked quite annoyed despite his effort. “You again.” He gritted out. It still hasn’t dawned on him, why they were in that secluded residence together—or better, why the hell was the brunette also there, so he felt in need to frown while asking, “What’re you doing here?”

 The guy snorted. “Well, wasn’t you supposed to know that? Aren’t you friends with me anymore?”

 It took Jaebum a few moments to understand what that was supposed to mean, but when he did, it felt like a bucket of cold water being thrown at him. Suddenly, the whole conversation he had had with the guy back in the crossroad replayed itself on his mind, over and over again, making him realize how much of a fool he’d done of himself. The worst was that the brunette had realized it, too, had caught him in his lie and has been playing with him since the beginning. What a great start.

 Feeling his annoyance splitting between embarrassment and frustration, he hung his head for a moment and pursed his lips. The hand he got gripping the handrail left the wood to card fingers through his hair, the movement tense and deliberately slow, fingertips stopping by his nape to give there a nervous scratch. Once he raised his head to meet the other’s gaze again, it was to state bitterly, “Park Jinyoung.”

 Park Jinyoung smiled, soft dimples appearing on his cheeks, and it was right at that moment that Jaebum knew. For as long as he had to stay in Jinyoung’s presence during that case, he was doomed.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> they finally met hmmmm  
> I have to say I love markbum’s friendship in this; the support and trust and affection and and aND- they’re so adorable :( they’re too precious.  
> In case anyone haven’t caught it right away, the crossroad where Jaebum and Jinyoung met is that one from Tomorrow, Today MV. The third person who was there with them I bet y’all know who it was but uh it’ll be revealed later on anyway so yep  
> YOUNGJAE IS THE CUTEST he’s such a sunshine in this and Jaebum’s immediate liking in him is totally understandable,,,,, But remember how nothing is what it seems :)  
> Jaebum’s very first day of surveillance will come in the next chapter and a few more characters will be introduced soooo let’s see how it goes~ see ya soon^^


	3. Three

 

 In hindsight, there’s been signs all along.

 On Friday, Mr. Choi had told him how the Parks’ heir has been going through a phase lately, throwing tantrums and getting in trouble as an aftereffect of his father’s death. And Jaebum had seen it then, on Monday morning, in the rebel-like way Jinyoung had behaved in the crossroad; fronting, defiantly meeting a stranger in the middle of the street and completely disregarding the danger a situation like that could entail. It sort of hinted one another, like two matching pieces of a puzzle, just waiting to be put together.

 Of course, those two things could also have been not necessarily related, and there was no how Jaebum could link them just by that, but knowing what he knew now, it explained a lot. Their expressions when Jaebum lied about being friends with Jinyoung, the cocky way Jinyoung behaved while playing him and giving him the wrong instructions, the feeling that something was off that kept tickling Jaebum’s guts as he watched them go on their way afterwards. It made sense, kind of.

 But it hasn’t been his entire fault not to notice the signs right away, or at all. The only fault he had in that was giving away too much information, with great part of it being mindless lies told in the spur of the moment. How would he know karma would play him that dirty? It hasn’t been his fault, really.

 And when Mark had briefed him in, saying Park Jinyoung was younger than him only by a few months, the image he’d created in his head has been one of someone more… mature. A baby-faced guy pitifully dressed up like one of those bad boys from ‘80s movies surely wasn’t what he had in mind for the heir of Park’s empire.

“Are done staring at me yet?” The guy’s voice caught Jaebum’s attention and he noticed, annoyedly, how yes, he indeed has been staring at him for quite a while now. Blinking away the undivided attention with which he’s been regarding Jinyoung, he narrowed his eyes warningly before taking them somewhere else. The double doors to what he believed to be the living room were way more deserving of his attention anyway.

 They spent a moment like this, trapped in a somewhat tense silent. Jaebum could feel the younger watching him carefully, studying him, and he suddenly felt bare for some reason he couldn’t explain.

 Maybe, he mused, it’s because he was something akin to an invader here, and the other was the only person who couldn’t really know who he in fact was, or what he was doing in there, sticking his nose into his personal life.

 Yeah, that actually explained a lot.

 The thudding of bare feet coming down the stairs reached Jaebum’s hearing again. This time, he turned back around to look upwards and follow Jinyoung’s movements as he descended the steps, going as far as to lift his head high with the chin jutting forward while watching him approach.

 Trying to show superiority to someone of a higher status certainly was dumb, Jaebum could see sleek mockery twinkling in Jinyoung’s eyes even as he’d stopped three steps away from him and up the stairway, but he would never lower his head to someone for their wealth. Or for anything else, really. Fearless and arrogant was exactly what he wanted the others to label him with. They’d leave him alone way faster if that was the case.

 Jinyoung stared him down, head tilted slightly in disdain. He regarded Jaebum as if he was unworthy of his attention or consideration altogether, as if he’d become boring in the meanwhile. With a click of his tongue, he tiredly waved him aside, “I don’t know why you chose to come here, but you can find something in the kitchen, I guess. They can give you a meal there.”

 Jaebum frowned, confused. “Huh?”

“Aren’t you here to scrounge for free food?”

 It didn’t register right away. Jaebum had to roll that around in his head for at least ten seconds before realization was dawning on him, striking him like a thunderbolt. Jinyoung was bluntly calling him a fucking hobo.

 A part of him wondered whether it’s because of his stubble—he hasn’t fully shaved the beard he’d been sporting for a while now, he’s only trimmed it a bit this morning—or his cheap clothes. Both were in a good state still, and Jaebum personally didn’t think he looked that bad, but the statement got him reflecting about the case. He should’ve shaved, or do so in the near future. And maybe buy a new pair of jeans (or stop using Mark’s).

 Anyhow, leaving his mild embarrassment aside, he noticed how he hasn’t replied to that prodding yet, and how Jinyoung was still staring down at him. Angered and misled by the contempt he thought he saw dripping from the corners of the other’s mouth as they twitched into a lopsided smile, Jaebum spit, “Listen here, you-”, only to cut himself midsentence when it sort of clicked. Again.

 Jaebum watched, stupidly, how corrosive mirth was slowly crawling back to those sharp eyes, and the sourness he believed to have seen in there vanished as if it hasn’t even existed in the first place. Because, in reality, it indeed hasn’t.

 Jinyoung was playing with him again. The playful edge to those remarks has been hindered by the cockiness in Jinyoung’s demeanor then, and the only thing Jaebum could think about now as he watched the brat resting his hip against the railing with a joyful snort, was that he’s a great actor.

 With a heavy sigh, Jaebum glared at the other for the teasing. Jinyoung not only looked immature, he acted like that, too. It wasn’t hard to see why Mr. Choi has been referring to him as “kid” all along. Of course, he’s been doing so likely because he was way older and old people tended to call everyone else by “kid”, “child” or something in that line of thought, but Jaebum found it pretty fitting anyway.

 Jinyoung studied him for another moment once he stopped with the teasing, and the look on his eyes turned hard, harder than ever before. “Why are you here?” He asked, the aura around him shifting, and Jaebum was reminded of their encounter in the crossroad again, when he was about to leave and caught Jinyoung’s wary stare from afar. That same weariness was back now, amplified by a hundred.

 The sudden change in mood and behavior Jinyoung’s been presenting him with ever since they met scared Jaebum somehow. There wasn’t how to know which of those flickering personalities held his real self, and the possibility that the true Jinyoung hasn’t even been shown to him yet left goosebumps to prickle the back of his neck.

 Jinyoung was a mystery.

 Jaebum wasn’t sure he wanted to solve it just yet, or at all.

 Choosing to answer that question evasively (just so he wouldn’t give himself away before sorting the details of his disguise and role in that house with his client), he said instead, “Eungchan seonsaeng-nim let me in, I came with him.”

“I did see that.” It’s said with a hint of impatience, as if Jaebum should know that already, and suddenly the blurry figure by the windows made sense to him. It’s been Jinyoung up there on the third floor, watching him approach. Jaebum could tell the guy suspected something by now, suspected him and him being there altogether, and the way he frowned at him just before opening his mouth to speak his mind again could only confirm it. With an accusatory edge to his tone, Jinyoung then demanded, “who are you?”

 Jaebum licked his lips, a nervous flick of tongue over the seam. “I’m-”

“He’s an investigator.” A voice suddenly bloomed from somewhere in the foyer, and both heads turned in time to see Mr. Choi shuffling across the hall to join them. Jaebum had to fake cough as to disguise the deep sigh of relief that escaped from his mouth right then. Mr. Choi gave him a pointed look once he approached the two of them by the bottom of the stairs, and then redirected his attention back to the youngest man in the room. “Im Jaebum. I hired him.”

 The scowl on Jinyoung’s face deepened, and besides wary, he looked slightly upset now, too. “What for?”

“Some things went missing in the past couple of weeks, sir, and I got worried there might be someone stealing from us in the house. I hired Jaebum-nim to investigate it.”

 Jaebum watched the scene in silence. So they settled with the burglary investigation. It wasn’t all that surprising anyway, considering how under pressure they were right then with Jinyoung asking questions and demanding straight answers. Settling with something they’ve previously discussed about, even though shallowly and just for the sake of proving a point, was better than shooting in the dark and risking getting hit in a caught-in-their-bullshit ricochet.

 What actually surprised Jaebum was how smoothly Mr. Choi managed to lie. He bluffed, right at Jinyoung’s face, and it looked as though he’s never been sincerer in his whole life. His expression, gestures and body language seemed genuine enough to convince someone that he was telling the truth, and if Jaebum didn’t know better, he’d have easily fallen for that act. It was admirable to some extent, flabbergasting. Jaebum briefly wondered whether that whole family was made of natural born actors.

 There’d been a few moments where Jinyoung just stood there looking between the two of them, staring at their faces while silently trying to point out the lie in the shifting of their expressions. However, as he seemed to find nothing weird enough to call it a bluff, his resolve deflated a bit.

“Is that so?” He prodded, but it sounded way more dismissive than actually fronting. That conversation had lost its appeal for him already. It seemed to be quite volatile, Jinyoung’s general interest in things. It was hard to keep him interested in something for too long.

 As to prove his sudden lack of interest in that, Jinyoung shrugged, resuming his walking down the stairs and passing by them without another word. Jaebum watched him go, taking in the slope of his straight nose and pouty mouth as he turned his head just enough to throw him one last glance from over one shoulder. Their eyes met, Jinyoung’s gaze piercing and curious, and Jaebum was sure there’s been something in there he should’ve caught on, but before he could dwell on that too much, Jinyoung was already turning back around and striding off, the tough rustle of his leather jacket rubbing together following after his every move until he disappeared through the doorway.

 Jaebum stared at the door Jinyoung had walked through. Barefoot, he had stepped outside without minding putting his shoes back on, so Jaebum assumed he wasn’t about to venture himself through the streets once again, especially now that he hadn’t that blond friend of his to keep him company. He wondered where the kid was heading now until he heard one small sigh coming from his side.

“Our Jinyoung used to be so lively and playful before. Now he spends all his time outside the house or locked in his bedroom.” Mr. Choi lamented, shaking his head with sorrow. “A great kid. Who’s just too bad at grieving.”

“Trying to stay away from a place that holds too many memories of his recently deceased dad as much as possible or isolating himself from the world by moping around in his bedroom seem like good ways to grieve to me.” Jaebum commented, absentmindedly, feeling the need to excuse Jinyoung’s actions somehow. And really, those were the most common ways of grieving, so he didn’t quite catch where the elder was coming from with that. Saying it as if Jinyoung was taking too long to heal; as if he had a choice in that.

 People grieved in their own way, and at their own pace. Jaebum knew that like nobody else.

“I know, yes. Of course.” Mr. Choi had the decency to look abashed and guilty for coming away as insensible in that matter, but Jaebum didn’t think his opinion has changed at all.

 It wasn’t his place to lecture him about that though, so the subject was left aside in behalf of them going on with their business.

 They headed for the library with Mr. Choi meekly showing the way. Jaebum supposed he’d be shown around the place after they had their talk, therefore he didn’t ask where all those wooden doors they passed by led to, but damn did that house have a lot of rooms as it seemed.

 The library was, to say the least, stunning. Polished wood covered the walls and floor both, an opaque gleam brushing the decoratively carved surfaces as daylight sifted in through the velvet drapes framing higharched windows. The decor gave off a vintage, rustic feel in the wooden frames of the furniture and the warm tones of red from the leather-upholstered couches. It felt cozy in there, with all those shelves filled with books that shrouded the majority of walls, but it also felt somewhat cold, even though the fireplace that faced both couches seemed to have been lit up not too long ago. It felt… a bit gloomy.

 Jaebum hovered by the door at first, one uneasy feeling working as pins and needles on his skin whilst he looked around. He kind of hated home libraries. The last time he’d been in one, things hadn’t gone well.

 Cold eyes stared back at him from behind the desk Mr. Choi now stood by, but the sane part of Jaebum’s brain knew for a fact that there was no one else in there besides the two of them. Bae Eunjeong wasn’t there, sitting in the armchair with her favorite book clutched between her delicate fingers, holding her breath in as if that would hold back the hot tears that stubbornly trickled down her face too. She wasn’t there right now.

“Did you say anything else?” Mr. Choi’s cautious voice made Jaebum flinch, startled him out of his memories. The empty armchair facing him from behind the wooden desk across the room seemed mocking somehow, and Jaebum frowned at it for a moment before dragging his eyes away, focusing them on the older man. He looked at him funnily.

“Huh?” It was likely he’s been asked something, but he couldn’t remember exactly in what context that question was coming from. Hesitantly entering the library, he soon approached the other by the desk. It was neatly organized, papers gathered in small piles and pens lined beside them.

“To Jinyoung-ssi,” Mr. Choi explained, “Did you say anything else to him when you two talked? Before I excused your presence in here with that burglary story?”

“No. He just-” Jaebum pressed his lips shut. For some reason, he didn’t want to reveal the fact that they’d already met before that brief moment in the foyer, and how Jinyoung has already pegged him for a liar since their episode in the crossroad. It would sound really bad for his reputation, wouldn’t it? Getting caught so early in their case? Jaebum thought it’d be better to keep it a secret for now. His client didn’t need to know everything about his procedure methods anyway. “No. You arrived right on time. We didn’t talk about anything else.”

“That’s good, then. We can discuss the details without having to step in eggs now.” Mr. Choi nodded, and then waved weakly around the place to offer him a seat on either the chair in front of the desk or the couches a couple meters away, the gesture seeming way more energetic than the way he moved back in Jaebum’s office, on Friday. Staying at home surely did him good, lessened the weight of age from his shoulders.

 Jaebum choose to go seat in one of the dark-red couches, only because they looked comfy enough to grant some relish to his sore back. It wasn’t that bad yet, but it was starting to bother him a little. He should’ve gone to physiotherapy for a couple months more back then.

“So, how does this work, Jaebum-nim?” Mr. Choi took the seat opposite to him, on the other couch. The center table placed in between them held up a few copies of random books yet to be put back on the shelves and a small horse statuette, for decorative purposes, he believed.

 Thinking about their best options to work that case, Jaebum hummed. “We’ve already settled on the cover. I’m here to investigate why there’s been a few things that went missing—a burglary, possibly from someone in the house. That’s what Jinyoung believes now.”

 Mr. Choi nodded his head, agreeing. Jaebum crossed one leg over the other, resting his right calf on left knee. “It’ll be simple to move around here under that excuse, but I’ll stick to doing surveillance though. Watching him from afar whenever he sneaks out from the house, once he’s been doing that quite a lot lately.” The look on his face hardened, and he had to look away as not to give the elder the impression he was glaring at him as he said, “Watching him, only. I won’t be his bodyguard, I won’t get too close to him. If I happen to see someone suddenly pointing a gun to his face, then I’ll intervene, but that’s that.”

“That’s fine. As long as we can track his steps and know his routine outside home.” The older man eyed him, sighing ruefully a moment later. “Just so he doesn’t do anything stupid while on this rebel phase he’s been into lately.”

 Jaebum didn’t comment on that, but he agreed that fronting a stranger whose car was parked in the middle of a crossroad could be labeled as something stupid, and Jinyoung sure as hell was going as far as to act that recklessly while in that phase. Tracking his steps seemed like the right thing to do in a situation like that, even though Jaebum still found it a bit too much in some aspects.

 For a private investigator to say invasion of privacy was too much, he’d to be the heck of a hypocrite. And maybe Jaebum was just that, a hypocrite, but Jinyoung’s gone through a lot lately as it seemed. He just didn’t want to take that away from him, too.

 The leather beneath him creaked slightly when he shifted on his spot. Worrying about his target and taking morals into consideration in a moment like that wasn’t good. He should just focus on what he was being paid to do.

 Therefore, slipping into his professional role again, he resumed, “In summary, the plan consists in doing surveillance when he’s not home, and sometimes checking up on him here under the excuse of a burglary investigation. All until you finish your self-running side investigation on the folks that live here and deem him safe again, not in need of my services anymore.”

“Sometimes checking up on him here… I assume you won’t be staying with us, then?” Mr. Choi mused.

“Well, no. I mean, yes, I won’t be staying here as this case unfolds. That’s one of the things I also wanted to discuss with you, sir.”

“We can think of another excuse as for why you have to take one of the guest rooms, if that’s why you feel uncomfortable in accepting our hospitality…”

 Shaking his head, Jaebum signaled for his client to wait a minute. Once he got the silence and attention he wanted, he cleared his throat, explaining himself, “No, it’s not about that. I appreciate the offer, and I’m sure we could think of something to excuse my staying in here, but. I don’t think it’d be a good idea.”

“How come?”

“You see, getting too close to Jinyoung… it isn’t how this works—how surveillance works. I need to keep my distance. It’s better to find someplace nearby, then. Somewhere I can rent for one, two months.”

 Mr. Choi seemed to think about it for a while. He looked like he wanted to try and convince him to stay in the house, to accept the offer, but then he thought it better and ended up nodding his head, conceding. “If that’s how you want to work this case, I’ll respect it, Jaebum-nim. Have you seen any place available yet, perhaps?”

“Not yet, I still have to go and take a look around the neighborhood. If I’m lucky, I’ll find a rentable place and move in there soon.” Jaebum left out how he’d have to sleep in his car until he found somewhere to crash in that fancy area, pride clogging the words in his throat. It wasn’t relevant for the case anyway.

“I’ll make sure to provide all the accommodations needed in whichever place you come to find vacancy then, so you won’t have to worry about the price.” Mr. Choi declared, and before Jaebum could say anything, he added, “It’s the least I can do for you, since you’re being so kind in helping me— _us_ out, despite everything. Just let me know where it is, and I’ll get it taken care of.”

 A part of Jaebum felt like grinning, because getting Mr. Choi to pay for the high housing costs he’d face while working on that case was what he’s been wanting ever since he spared one look at the fanciness of that side of the country, but it wouldn’t be professional of him to do so. Therefore, he averted his gaze to wander eyes around the room for a moment, trying not to seem too pleased by that news.

 From his spot, he could see a small photo frame sitting on the side table next to the window. It faced down, whichever photo stuck in there now kissing the polished surface of the furniture. He stared at it absently, looking but not really seeing. His gaze slid back to the older man. “Very kind of you, sir.” He said, if only for the sake of saying anything. And then, that was enough to settle the issue.

 Mr. Choi stood up, dragged his feet across the linoleum floor. Even though his advanced age slowed down his movements sometimes, in general he moved with such gracefulness. He stopped by the desk again and went through the piles of paper, carefully, apparently in search of something specific. Classy or aristocratic, just like the first impression Jaebum had had of him when they first met.

 When he returned to the couch, it was with one file in his hands. There was nothing written in the opaque, light-brown cover of the document when it was handed to him, therefore Jaebum cocked one eyebrow at Mr. Choi in question.

“There’re a few information about this household in there, enough so you know where to stand in the beginning.” Came the succinct explanation. “Names, personal information, occupations, schedules, etc. I compiled pretty much everything in there, so you won’t have much trouble trying to find it on your own. Since this household is somewhat private in many aspects due to the influence the Parks have in the industry nowadays, it could be hard to try and collect information from the outside. I hope it helps some.”

 Jaebum has opened the file as Mr. Choi rambled on about it, so he was flipping through the pages when the elder finished his speech. He was instantly reminded of how he’d tried to find some background information on the Parks on the web the day before and failed, and how even Mark hadn’t managed to brief him in full details despite his amazing ability to unravel the entirety of the internet in a blink of eyes. It was really hard to collect data on them, so the file Mr. Choi has given him now would really come in handy.

“This will help a lot, yes.” He didn’t fail to notice how Mr. Choi hadn’t included any information about Jinyoung in there, the document being mostly about the servants working under and for him, but he already expected it to be that way once the older man had already stated how he’s lost track of Jinyoung’s whereabouts after the incident. Jaebum was being paid to discover just that anyway.

“I’m glad.” With a sudden, small gasp, Mr. Choi abruptly exclaimed, “Oh, how rude of me! I didn’t even offer you something to drink, I’m deeply sorry. Do you drink, Jaebum-nim? Coffe? Tea? Maybe something stronger?”

 Something stronger sounded nice, especially after the unfortunate encounters and situations he’s got himself into ever since putting foot in Apgujeong-dong. He found it better to decline it, though. Mark would be giving him an earful if he ever got the slightest edge of tipsiness in his voice while in his supposed workplace.

 Mark. Right, he should call Mark to let him know he wasn’t being victim of human trafficking, what he was almost sure his friend would be thinking about now after all that time unreachable through the phone.

 Trying to ignore the twitch of dread that laced his spine at the prospect of being on the receiving end of Mark’s wrath again, he focused on answering what he’d been asked before. “No, no, I’m fine. Thank you.”

“What about lunch? You didn’t answer my offer from before. I can ask one of the servants to prepare you a meal, if that’s all right with you.”

“I’m really ok, sir, don’t worry.” Jaebum tried to reassure the elder with a polite smile. It didn’t seem to work all that much, his client seeming all so eager to please after he’d accepted this case, so he added, “Is there someplace where I can charge my phone, though? Any wall socket is fine.”

 At this Mr. Choi nodded, promptly. “Of course, there are plenty around the house, you can use whichever you please. Feel at home.”

 Jaebum utterly doubted he ever would, but kept the thought to himself in behalf of avoiding questions. And really, he wanted that conversation to be over already, so he used that as an excuse to say he’d be going back to his car to pick up his phone’s charger, and thus make his exit as smooth as possible.

 Mr. Choi suggested them to make a quick tour of the property once he got back, dutifully offering to show him around the place so he’d get familiarized with it, and Jaebum begrudgingly accepted it.  He’d rather don’t parade around that much, however, since they’re still at the tail end of lunch time, the likelihood of them stumbling upon more people during their inspection was scarce. It’s a fruitful time to get on with work, anyway. Therefore, Jaebum thanked the elder’s cooperation and exited the library, walking back through the path he’d learned not long ago.

 Unconsciously, he’d braced himself for another confrontation with Jinyoung once he was out the door, but the kid was no where to be seen as he strode across the gravel path in the garden. He wondered, albeit fleetingly, where had Jinyoung headed to in his barefoot state, then. It could be troublesome, Jinyoung’s ability to disappear out of thin air whenever it was convenient for him, but the thought didn’t really stick. That was a matter for later.

 

 Jaebum hated big houses.

 It wasn’t like he had a trauma with it, like he did to rainy terraces and dimly lit libraries, but wandering around places too wide, too open, too spacious… was something he despised. For practicality matters, mostly. His physic was good enough, now, to cross the entire place without much trouble if deemed necessary, but it’s still tiresome when the whole residence housed almost a hundred rooms and chambers spread about.

 And being shown to it, room by room, like he was now, proved to be quite a pain in the ass. Maybe he’d grown too accustomed to spending the day glued to his car’s seat watching some folks getting out of line. Maybe that’s why his legs complained about the overuse of his lower muscles as Choi Eungchan mechanically explained where the servants’ chambers stood, off to the north wing of the property. Whatever it was, he couldn’t wait for it to be over and done with.

 

 When their _little_ tour got resumed and Jaebum had apparently learned about every corner and crevice of the Parks’ residence, it neared two in the afternoon. His stomach should be growling by then, seeing as he hasn’t had breakfast in the morning and was now skipping lunch too, however, and he supposed it had something to do with his terribly messed up eating plan, he didn’t feel the gnawing of hunger anytime soon.

“The less you eat, the less you feel like eating.” His aunt would chide him in the past, or in an alternate reality that didn’t have any correlation with the one he lived in now. She would pick up the latest issue of the _Life Extension_ magazine she’d bought and read out loud, “A healthy eating plan gives your body the nutrients it needs every day.” One glare at him, and then, “You have to eat, kiddo. Or else, it’ll be your fault that you won’t get to live long.”

 In the end, ironically enough, it hasn’t been Jaebum the one that didn’t get to live long. In the end, it hasn’t even been about healthy food at all. Though it has still been his fault, like she said it’d be.

 At least he could say he was getting his self-care plan back together. That was, if stubbles still were considered sexy and attractive enough to pass himself as healthy. His sleep routine was also crawling back into the right track anyway. A few meals skipped here and there wouldn’t matter that much.

 Having left his phone charging up in the library as they went on a tiresome sightseeing around the houses, Jaebum excused himself from Mr. Choi presence for a moment to go pick it up again, and then he was back to joining the elder by the entrance hall one more time. Once they’d discussed everything for now, Jaebum decided to deem their meeting over, so then he could prepare for the surveillance later that night. The old man agreed, politely asking Jaebum to keep him updated as the case progressed. One minute later, he was in the doorway, sending Jaebum off with a cordial bow.

 It’s only when he got settled back into his Honda that Jaebum powered on his phone again. And really, he shouldn’t have been surprised, but when it buzzed for at least half a minute with notifications of missed calls and new messages on KakaoTalk, he couldn’t help widening his eyes a little. 49 missed calls, 172 new messages. All from Mark. Fuck.

 His thumb hesitated over the greenish call button displaying on the main screen, mentally practicing what he could say to both placate and sooth Mark before he started yelling at him. It wasn’t like he hadn’t been in that kind of situation before, because he had, once, but 172 new messages and 49 missed calls in an ordinary day was stupidly frightening.

 The flow of people was bigger than before when Jaebum finally pressed call, and he watched the passersby incuriously through his car window as the line connected. Everyone was dressed in a way that enhanced their wealth somehow. It was hard to find someone wearing worn out jeans there, sometimes even any jeans at all.

 When Mark picked up the call, he didn’t greet first. Jaebum could only hear the controlled rhythm of his breathing, and the characteristic static that accompanied every phone call. It’s obvious that Mark was still mad. Jaebum cleared his throat, awkwardly.

“Hey, bud.” He tried, plenty aware of the careful undertones coloring his forcefully cheerful voice. It felt like he was trying to calm a wild animal down, talking slowly and softly. He could tell by the harsh intake of breath coming from the other end that he wasn’t succeeding in it that much. He braced himself.

 _“It’s nice to know your phone works.”_ Mark said, sardonic, tone frighteningly heavy with barely concealed anger. It’s strangely soothing to hear his voice, all so familiar, after the day he’s been having nonetheless.

“It’d died. The battery- it had run out of battery and shut off. I tried to recharge it, but I forgot the adapter at home, in Sinsa-dong, so I couldn’t plug it in my car. I only got to charge it in the Parks’ house, when I arrived.”

 _“I didn’t ask.”_ It was so obvious how annoyed he was, the words tumbling out his mouth like he was spitting them in someone’s face, syllables almost gritted out in a failed attempt to not yell them into the line.

 Jaebum couldn’t help but flinch. “Hyung…”

_“Don’t ‘hyung’ me. Do you have any idea of how worried I was? Huh? I tried to call. I sent messages.”_

 49 times and 172 of them, Jaebum knew. A sarcastic snort got caught in his throat. “You really did.”

 _“The call wouldn’t even connect, straight to voicemail. I couldn’t reach you for dear life.”_ Some of Mark’s anger had turned into despair, and he sounded truthfully anguished as he rambled on. _“I’m so fucking pissed, I thought you had been- You remember what we talked about, don’t you?”_

 The kidnapping and human trafficking shit. Yeah, Jaebum remembered that, too. “I do.”

_“And you still made me go through this hell.”_

“It isn’t like I did it on purpose, tho.” Jaebum grumbled, like an ill-mannered and unruly child who was feeling bold enough to answer their parents during a scolding. For his credit, it really wasn’t like he’d done that on purpose. He’d just been… (dumb) careless.

 Though that still wasn’t motive enough for him to answer Mark back while the guy went through one of his anger outbursts. Mark growled, _“What? What did you say?”_

 Sighing helplessly, Jaebum backed down. “Nothing, hyung.”

_“I thought so. Fuck, Jaebum, I panicked. I was so scared something had happened, I even- I hate you so much, it’s a good thing you didn’t get killed, ‘cause I’m about to fucking kill you myself.”_

“I’m sorry.” One almost hysteric chuckle left him despite himself. “I’m serious, Mark, I’m sorry.”

 _“Shove it.”_ Mark snapped again, but it’s noticeable how he seemed at least a little calmer than before. _“You know what your luck is, Jaebum?”_ Besides the annoyance that still enriched his voice, he sounded positively relieved as he spit, _“Your luck is that the authorities have this shitty policy of having to wait 24 hours before going out looking for someone that’s gone missing, or else I’d be there kicking your stinky ass four hours ago.”_

 Unconsciously, Jaebum’s mind drifted back to where he was by that time, four hours ago, and he regretted it just as soon. One puckered mouth enveloping a rosy lollipop before slowly blossoming into a lopsided smile was the first thing his memory recalled. Jaebum’s face scrunched up, distastefully, looking as if he’d eaten something sour. Damned kid.

“You’d have arrived here before me, then.” He scoffed after one moment.

_“How so?”_

“I got lost.”

 _“Suits you well.”_ Hints of a pleased grin colored Mark’s voice as it broke through the static now, even though Jaebum knew by experience how he’d said it in a mostly neutral (bored, if anything) tone. _“What happened then? You asked for guidance?”_

“Yep. Got even more lost.”

_“What do you mean? How?”_

 Jaebum took a moment to watch the movement outside. Even though he’d planned to start his surveillance only later that night not to arouse suspicious, he couldn’t help glancing at the Parks’ house every now and again, in hopes to spot his target one more time.

 He was unwilling to admit to Mark that he’d been tricked so easily before, shame and irritation rising up his chest all over again, but he ended up mumbling the words out nonetheless. “He gave me the wrong directions.”

 And just as he had expected it, Mark barked a mocking laugh at the news. _“Ah, so you got lost and fooled on your first day?”_ He hummed, evilly delighted. _“Things going well, I suppose.”_

“Yeah, they going wonderful. Especially because the shithead who tricked me into the wrong direction was the Park kid, the heir.”

 Mark went silent, then. A couple of seconds followed like this, and when he spoke again, his voice was cautious, amused and prickled with disbelief. _“You’re kidding.”_

“Didn’t know it was him.” Jaebum excused, lamely. “Told him I was looking for the Parks’ residence, and he asked why. I said, ‘I’m friends with Jinyoung-ah’. He then sent me to the middle of nowhere, deeper in the fields.”

 _“Aren’t we stupid.”_ Mark sneered. _“And with we, I mean just you.”_

“I _didn’t_ know it was him, how would I know?”

 Disregarding Jaebum’s whining, Mark went on, _“Kid managed the situation well, tho. If it’d been something really harmful, he’d have taken good care of himself. Doesn’t look like someone who needs protection.”_

 Jinyoung really didn’t seem like someone who needed protection, but at the same time, he did. His actions, though witty and clever, came off as desperate for confrontation in Jaebum’s opinion, and it could be quite risky if taken into consideration how he was free to come and go whenever he felt like doing so. Jinyoung was smart, but the pain of grief that still clung to every bone of his body, present in every shift and expression, could make him act rather dumb.

 Jaebum didn’t share that with Mark, given how it was his own point of view and how he could be either right or wrong in his assumptions. He didn’t think Mark was right. But he didn’t deny his statement either.

 _“What next? Did your cover got blown just like that_?” Mark prodded when Jaebum hasn’t said another word in the next half a minute.

“Yeah, my cover did, but not quite. I mean, I met him again at his house and before shit got worse Mr. Choi came and told him I was there to investigate a burglar.”

_“Ah, like he’d suggested during the meeting, got it. And the kid bought it?”_

“Apparently. He didn’t look very convinced, he just. He looked like he didn’t care.” Jaebum frowned after the statement slipped past his lips, realizing how much truth that held. Jinyoung got bored easily. He couldn’t tell if that flickering interest toward things was part of his personality, another act of his, or an aftereffect of his father’s death trauma. It was rather worrisome, nonetheless. Mood swings were never good.

 Mark hummed, oblivious to how Jaebum’s thoughts were going astray. _“Well, at least you’re still in the game. So, tell me what you’ve been up to as I almost died of worriedness.”_

 Jaebum did; he briefed Mark in, telling him about everything that had happened in the Parks’ residence, and sharing the latest information he’s gotten from Mr. Choi. They talked for a while, discussing what would be best for them to do now, and settling for keeping the surveillance going and see what happens next. Because really, there’s nothing else they could do. They had to literally sit down and wait for something to happen. Great.

 When they ended the call a few minutes later, it was with Mark making threats of travelling all the way to Apgujeong-dong only to cut Jaebum’s dick off in case he didn’t answer his calls again. Jaebum promised that wouldn’t happen again, but entertained the thought of purposely leaving his phone off only to rile him up. Teasing Mark was marvelous, though it’s dangerous as fuck, too.

 Jaebum smiled despite himself, thinking about how fond he was of this friendship he had with Mark while pressing the red button to end the call. Glancing back up and at the front of the house, he saw the boy from before coming back home. Choi Youngjae, he remembered his name to be. He still looked as chirpy as he did the first time they met, carrying a small bag of groceries in the crook of his arm.

 Jaebum followed him all the way inside the property with attentive eyes. Youngjae stopped by the entrance, holding the door that suddenly swung open for someone to pass through. It’s a young woman the one to pop in Jaebum’s field of vision then, and he watched her exchange a few words with Youngjae before each went on with their own businesses.

 As Youngjae disappeared inside the house, the woman ventured through the garden for a bit before picking up something in one of the bushes spread about and walking back. Instead of going in through the main route, though, she skirted around the house and then Jaebum lost sight of her. He waited for her to come back, but she never did. It’s assumable the house had a side entrance through which she might’ve gone back in.

 Distantly, Jaebum remembered her from the file Mr. Choi has given him. A domestic worker of some sort. He didn’t really remember her name (or anything that’s been described in there about her), he just got a distinctive interest in her because her smiling face in that file somehow remembered him of Jinyoung. They had the same dimples on the cheeks when they smiled too broadly.

 Jaebum was still aware of how her smile in that small profile photo was gentle and professional, while Jinyoung’s has always been tingled with mischief and a sense of melancholy he couldn’t quite explain. They were alike, nonetheless.

 Jaebum knew Jinyoung was an only child, the lonely heir of Park’s empire, but he couldn’t help wondering whether they were related somehow. He should study that file better later. But for now, he just stared at the direction she had disappeared into.

 

 It’s somewhere close to eleven o’clock when Jaebum perceived movement on the house again. The weather has gotten chiller, cool wind sweeping the streets along with the roof of nearby properties, so it’s reasonable for the person who now sneaked out through the side gate to wear heavy clothes as not to freeze outside. Jaebum distantly felt thankful for the air-conditioner of his old car still work.

 There must’ve been something in the way the person walked, or even in the way they moved—primly, despite the voluminous garments. But somehow, Jaebum just knew it was Jinyoung the one to jump over the low fence surrounding the property and take off down the street.

 Sitting up straight, Jaebum tried rubbing some of the tiredness from his eyes with the heels of his hands. His joints complained, back muscles groaning at the sudden shift in position. He’s been slouched on his seat for far too long. It’d be nice to unbend his legs and stretch his column for a moment.

 The crossword he’s been trying to solve if only to keep himself busy got discarded onto the passenger seat, and then Jaebum was fishing one hoodie from his travel bag in the backseat to throw it over his head. Slipping his arms into the sleeves, he fumbled to get the door open and then leaped out the car, picking up both his phone and wallet from the console organizer in the process. The door closed behind himself with a mute thud once he was out.

 Usually, when he indulged in following his target to get his localization in the first hours of surveillance, he did it by car. That’s because they’d also be riding one, though. Since Jinyoung decided it’d be nice to have a walk under the moonlight, Jaebum couldn’t do much besides following him by foot. Inconvenient.

 Keeping a safe distance from his target has been Jaebum’s first priority whenever he was out in the field, strategically stopping by random places along the way or taking alternatives routes as for not to arouse suspicious for himself. It was his job not to be seen, not to be noticed.

 Therefore, he discreetly kept his distance from Jinyoung, pulling the hood over his head and pretending to be casually going for a walk as he followed the kid around. He couldn’t help wondering where the hell was Jinyoung heading to now, just like he did earlier in the Parks’ house. It was quite late already, streets and everything else plunged into darkness if not for the few streetlamps spread along the way. It could be dangerous to be out at that time.

 And well, maybe that’s that. It’s dangerous, so Jinyoung—kind of self-destructive as he was—obviously would want to sneak out the house and play with the wolves in the forest. Jaebum could relate to that desperation in some aspects, he wouldn’t be that hypocrite to deny it, but he also couldn’t deny how irresponsible acting like that was. Something really bad could happen during one of those unthoughtful escapades.

 Some fucked up part of himself dared to think it’s actually a good thing that he’s keeping an eye on Jinyoung now, taking care of him. Even though that in the shittiest of ways, and for the shittiest of motives.

 Jaebum frustratedly shook his head in tries to get rid of those thoughts, just like it did to the gelid air that now brushed past his cheeks, directly blocked by the moved itself. He shouldn’t be growing so empathetic of Jinyoung. Even though in some weird sense that was way beyond him to understand and explain both, he sympathized with the craziness in him.

 Momentarily distracted by his thoughts, Jaebum didn’t really notice how Jinyoung was more like strolling now, a few meters ahead of him, as if he were waiting for him to catch up. What was kind of ironic since he’d labeled Jinyoung’s actions as irresponsible, unthoughtful, not too long ago, and was then acting that unprofessionally himself.

 And really, if Jaebum wasn’t so occupied judging the kid, he would’ve noticed how Jinyoung kept glancing back and over his shoulder throughout the whole walk. Or how the kid was silently leading him through side streets, and into a somewhat less illuminated, private area that bordered the neighborhood they’re in.

 It’s only when he suddenly lost sight of his target after just taking another turn into a desert alley that he noticed something wasn’t right. Eerily dark, the narrow path caged by brick walls showed him nothing besides shadows and a lonely dumpster on a dead end. And as he stood there, frowning around, two things hit him at once:

 One, maybe Park Jinyoung was way smarter than Jaebum’s been giving him the credit for.

 And two, maybe it’s been his veiled slyness that got Jaebum interested enough to keep up with the pursuit in that cat-and-mouse game they’re starting to play.

 The truth behind those two possibilities hung heavy in the crisp air of the night, unspoken. Frustratingly undeniable, too.

 Jinyoung _was_ smarter.

 And Jaebum _was_ interested.

 


	4. Four

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello. the past month has been really tough on me, both my mental and physical health aren't in their best state and im still recovering, so i had neither the want nor the time to write. well im slowly getting back into writing now, and although the updates will keep taking a while to come, at least they're still coming :) thank you for being patient. hope yall enjoy this chapter.

 

 The rest of the week trailed the same disastrous, fruitless path of his first day.

 They kept repeating themselves, over and over again. Jinyoung’s escapades from his house and Jaebum both, that did. It happened by day and by night, at whatever hours and by whatever ways, and sometimes he wouldn’t even come back home for over 24 hours.

 Jaebum kept telling himself that well, it wasn’t his entire fault to lose track of him, since it’s impossible for him to chase the kid by foot without being noticed right away. No private investigator, being it good as they were, could be aware of their target’s whereabouts that precisely.

 Specially if the target seemed unshakably keen on putting whomever tried to sneak on them off the scent.

 But Jaebum wasn’t stupid. He knew he was lacking, and in that case in particular, he was lacking a very freaking lot. It isn’t like he’s the best on the field or anything, because he didn’t have either the ability nor the funds for it, but the fact that doing such a crappy job wasn’t like himself couldn’t be denied.

 It’s just. Something about that case got him feeling out of sorts; something about the similarities, about the mystery. Everything put together got the hair on the back of his neck standing on end, and suddenly he didn’t know how to act, what to do. He felt like an amateur, slouched on the driver’s seat and hugging his jacket tighter around himself while glaring at the empty street through the misted-up windows. He felt like a failure.

 It was Friday again when he begrudgingly put himself to watch the property from his car, parked up the street, for the fifth consecutive day, officially marking it one week since he’d carelessly hoped in on that case. By then, taking his past jobs as a basis, Jaebum has hoped to have lots of camera footage and even a perfectly noted-down schedule in chronologic order to go through in the weekend.

 The reality worked differently from what he’d expected, though.

 In that whole week, the most Jaebum has gotten from Jinyoung were a few photos—snapped in random places near his house and right before he disappeared around the neighborhood to only reappear the next day, or whenever he felt like. It’s infuriating, how easily that punk always managed to fool him.

 And before he got too self-deprecating or started overthinking the whole ordeal, deep inside he knew that it wasn’t because Jinyoung was like way too clever for him to compare, or that he suddenly got stupid, no. There was more to it.

 He was often distracted, allowing unwanted memories to flow back and comparing his present to his past. The dreams were back, some times more graphic and detailed than others, but every of them ending in the same way. And it influenced on his job, negatively.

 Even Mark had agreed with him on that when, after losing track of Jinyoung for the third day straight, he’d called him to rant on. _“This isn’t like yourself, boss,”_ his friend had said, chiding him softly even though his tone still carried that distinctive edge of annoyance from someone that got disturbed so late at night. _“You’re messing up, like, royally. Are you sure you’re ok there?”_

“Everything’s fine.” He’d gritted through his teeth, annoyed at how well Mark could see through him even before himself did, but he couldn’t say he hadn’t been thinking the same. He was fucking that up because he was way too far up his own ass to follow protocol and act like the professional he was. What he needed to do was focus on his work. But that was easier said than done.

 As he reached for his pack of cigarettes in the glove compartment to ease up a bit of his frustration now, he perceived movement on the main house and sat up straighter. Someone was coming from what he learned to be the foyer, crossing the doorway and stepping out on the porch. He watched them move whilst mentally thanking no one in particular for his good eyesight, able to discern what was happening in the entryway even by that far. Good genes, good genes.

 It was early in the morning still, almost nine o’clock. There weren’t much people wandering around yet, but after a while working on that case, Jaebum noticed that there hardly were. It did was a secluded place, that neighborhood. The rich folks living in there only went out to walk their dogs and go shopping, that when they didn’t send their domestic workers in their places. The streets were usually desert, specially at that hour.

 That was good just as it’s bad, because it enabled him to keep an eye on the property as far as the low wall allowed him without interruptions, but it also turned his very presence—an old car parked somewhere on that street at odd hours throughout the day—quite suspicious. Of course, there were a few other cars parked all around, and Jaebum made sure to park behind one of them every time to avoid being full on display, but even so. He’d rather for it to busy, just like the street to his office back in Sinsa-dong.

 After a moment observing the person, he noticed they looked familiar enough for him to try linking a name to the face, and then, with just a bit of effort, he managed to recollect the information he’d filed away in his memory not too long ago. Kim Yugyeom, Jinyoung’s valet.

 In the long while he’d spent in the car doing (shitty) surveillance for the past few days, Jaebum half-assedly studied the file his employer had presented him with during their last meeting. There were a bunch of names and faces there, and he obviously hadn’t gone through all of that yet, but he still remembered a few and that Kim Yugyeom kid was one of them.

 Jaebum remembered the guy mostly because he’s found it weird how Jinyoung, dressing the way he dressed and rocking such a careless appearance, had a personal attendant—which he clearly didn’t make use of, in his opinion.

 It didn’t really cross his mind how that was the second time someone’s gotten his attention through Jinyoung, and how that was slowly becoming a pattern, but he’s still undeniably aware of it. First that woman in the garden, and now this young valet who seemed to be there only to fill the position.

 He’d checked the woman’s name in that file somewhere throughout the week, too, as he inspected the content typed in there during his free time. She’s called Kim Jisoo, and Jaebum couldn’t help noticing how that made it another two unrelated people (he checked that, too) sharing the same surname in that household. That was somewhat intriguing, but not exactly important right now.

 Jaebum focused his attention on the guy that now wandered around in the gardens. Kim Yugyeom was a tall guy, not really lanky but slender and lean, and he moved with certain gracefulness despite looking a bit uncomfortable in his black and white uniform. The pale sun of the still quite chilly morning licked his black hair. He looked as if he was looking for something in the bushes.

 Right at that moment, the door opened again and Jinyoung stepped out. Even from afar, Jaebum could see how the punk wore light clothes on that upturned weather, and he couldn’t help mumbling a chastising ‘stupid’ to himself as he reached for his Nikon on the glove compartment. Jinyoung wore heavy leather jackets when the sun was out and only long-sleeved t-shirts when the morning wind nearly held ice daggers in its blow. That actually matched well the kid’s own flickering mood.

 As he adjusted the focus of his camera and zoomed in on the two of them, he noticed how they’d started talking. Yugyeom shook his head, waving a hand at the general direction of the prettily lined rows of flowery bushes, looking apologetic about something. Jaebum wasn’t sure if that was relevant enough for him to be clicking his camera. Jinyoung crossed his arms, stood there for another moment, and then made a dismissive gesture toward the other man, walking down the gravel path to join him. Jaebum did click his camera a couple of times for that.

 Even though Yugyeom generally moved with grace, when he stood close to someone shorter than him, he seemed to try and accommodate they to his height by leaning down a little bit. He looked awkward now, posture slight hunched as he turned to Jinyoung and they talked again, but he did as much as to look content, too. That was oddly adorable in some way, but Jaebum was too busy perking up at the figure trotting up the street to fully acknowledge it.

 Since the third person entering the scene wore a cap low on his head, it’s hard for Jaebum to try and recognize whoever that might be, however, he could notice it’s a man the one to practically jump on the closed gates and try waving one hand from over it. Yugyeom and Jinyoung looked over at the same time. Apparently, Jinyoung knew him, because he was instantly saying something back to Yugyeom and then walking over to the gates.

 Jaebum watched the valet stomp his foot, as if he were whining about something, trying to call after Jinyoung as he walked away. After his calling fell onto deaf ears as it seemed, he helplessly turned and stomped off back to the main house.

 That servant looked young from his body language alone, just like Youngjae. Though according to their file, they were only a few years younger than Jaebum himself, three and two, respectively. That was the second time in a week Jaebum got tricked by appearances. He should stop thinking about everyone else as if he were at least ten years older than them. His life experience didn’t make him older. Just more matured, if anything.

 Then again, he couldn’t know about that, just as they couldn’t know about his own hell. People pretended all the time, there wasn’t how to know if something kept them up at night or not. It’s all about suppositions in the end. Just like the one that Mr. Park’s death has been a murder rather than a tragedy of natural causes.

 There were a lot of things about Mr. Park’s death that intrigued him, and a whole lot more about the case itself that he didn’t really understand yet. The main reason why he got hired was that Mr. Choi suspected his boss had been killed by someone in their household and wanted to investigate it, but also to keep the son of his deceased friend safe and everything about it under the covers. Jaebum got that.

 The problem in including the police in their little party was that it’d attract too much attention, and Mr. Choi was afraid the culprit would know it’s his doing right away, feel threatened, and make a move on either him or Jinyoung. Jaebum kind of got that, too, even though it’s weird how that thinking process worked.

 Like, why would they suspect Mr. Choi was the one behind all that investigation first, and not Jinyoung, who certainly had the right to try finding something wrong in his father’s sudden death? And wouldn’t the culprit making a move on them only confirm those suspicions that it’s someone from the house and worsen the entire situation? It’d be disastrously dumb.

 Maybe, he supposed, it’s because Mr. Choi was their boss’ close friend and had spent more years serving him dutifully, so he’d more than certainly hold a grudge about his death (and Jinyoung didn’t really stick around that much to come away as a threat in that aspect). And well, it wouldn’t be that unpredictable for someone who were scared and desperate to do something stupid. It made some sense. Though it’s still weird.

 About his role in that mess, it was to keep an eye on Jinyoung since the guy was problematic and spent more time away than at home, and ok, cool, he got that, too, but why not just hire him a proper protection service? Jaebum was an investigator, not a bodyguard.

 Right, Mr. Choi had said then that hiring a bodyguard would also attract too much attention, but hiring him to investigate a burglary in the house wouldn’t do the same? If the perpetrator ever came to know about that fake investigation, especially with what Mr. Choi has told Jinyoung, that they suspected someone in the house stole something from him, wouldn’t that have the same effect in regards of a threat? Someone would be digging into their shit, being it after theft or anything else really, and since there’s the possibility that they could find something they shouldn’t… that could be motive enough for an attack.

 That cover might’ve worked with Jinyoung, but Jaebum knew they should be cautious with telling other people about what he was doing in that house from then on. After all, what would he do if something really threatened Jinyoung? Flash the person up with his camera? They should be cautious. It wasn’t that bad that Jinyoung didn’t spend too much time at home, after all.

 How he’d gotten so deep in his train of thought to end on that issue, he wasn’t quite sure. Maybe he just tended to overthink a little bit. Whatever it was, when he refocused his attention on the scene a couple of meters away, Jinyoung and the other guy were already past the gates and walking down the street.

 Cursing under his breath, he fumbled with his camera for a while before tucking it on his jacket pocket and stepping out the car as discreetly as he could. On an impulse (and bitterly aware how his chasings would always lead him to dead ends), he ducked back into the car and reached for the glove compartment again, this time retreating the pack of cigarettes he had intended to take before. Slipping the crumpled package into his jeans pocket, he came out once again and shut the door with a thud.

 A light breeze ruffled his short hair as he looked in the direction the couple had trailed down before, eyes narrowing as he caught sight of the two of them by the end of the street. And then, after a moment making a scene of fumbling with his car keys only to gain some time and don’t look like he was blatantly going after them, Jaebum took off.

 

 The chase was taking more time to end in nothing this time, and Jaebum even dared to think he’s going to be successful in discovering something—anything—about Jinyoung’s whereabouts today. The anticipation got him feeling motivated, the numbness creeping up his legs for walking for so long forgotten in the golden hope of finally getting somewhere with his investigation.

 They walked through a path Jaebum remembered vaguely but surely, the one he’d taken to arrive in the Parks’ neighborhood on his first day. The fields looked the same as before, if not greener. The crossword still aroused frustrating memories. There hasn’t been much change to that piece of land in a week, but then, Jaebum didn’t really thought it would. Sceneries usually took way longer to present some change.

 Speaking of change of scenery, it was almost impossible for him not to notice how there were more stores, restaurants and overall small buildings once they skirted around the fields. Even the number of people walking by had increased tenfold. It looked… positively urban.

 When he’d moved in a week ago, he hadn’t had the time (nor the want) to explore around and see what more Apgujeong could offer, choosing instead to stick to the almost country-like side where some of the richest people isolated themselves in.

 But that side of Apgujeong was completely stunning, too. There were upscale department stores, boutiques, and shops littering the streets, as well as people mostly in their 20s coming and going in an unpreoccupied laziness. Jaebum knew for a fact that Apgujeong, despite being home of many well-to-do-families, was still less luxurious than its neighboring district, Cheongdam-dong, known for having many streets and venues lined with premium brand flagship stores that appealed more to those in their 30s and 40s. However, it didn’t lack in sophistication at all.

 Apgujeong host a large number of bars from what he could already tell, unlit neon signs hanging above many facades to create shadows over the red-brick and plain cement walls. Jaebum could imagine how alive it’d look, feel, in the evening, with the beginning of its highly appraised bustling nightlife.

 Since the stream of people has increased, Jaebum felt relieved to be able to mingle and hide amongst them now, trailing after Jinyoung and the other guy closer than before. There’re many shops specialized in secondhand luxury items in the street they’d eventually turned into, posing right beside embellished cafes and even bookstores with vintage storefronts. They were calmly looking at the stuff displayed in the front windows as they walked by.

 Occasionally, Jaebum’s managed to snap a few photos of them from afar, pretending to be a tourist of some sort when it attracted some glances in his direction. He’d even taken one photo of himself, posing in front of a cute boutique with decorative plastic plants and vintage lampposts. That had almost made him lose sight of his targets, but he’d been lucky then and found them a block down the street.

 He’d managed to snap a good number of photos anyway, so he kept photographing them for a few more minutes and then tucked his Nikon back in his pockets. This time, he was proud to say he had at least some content to go through later.

 After window-shopping several stores for what could’ve easily been one hour or two hours, Jaebum believed they had already seen every crack of Rodeo Street. Having reached for the pack of cigarettes on his pocket in the second half an hour of their outing, he noticed how he’d forgotten to bring his lighter along. And hell would freeze before he came forward to ask someone on the street for fire, therefore he couldn’t really take the edge off with some buzz.

 Frustrated, he shoved both hands deeper into his jacket pockets. Great.

 The weather, as the morning slowly crawled towards afternoon, became slight warmer. The sun shined on them with a faint promise of getting rid of the chillness that still lingered in the air, stubborn as Jinyoung, who wouldn’t accept the jeans jacket his companion has been trying to make him put on for the past couple of hours. Even though the weather has gotten better, that light long-sleeved shirt still was a bad choice. Jaebum couldn’t help scolding him mentally for great part of the chasing.

 As the street got busier, more packed with people, it became harder for Jaebum to keep track of his two targets swimming between the sea of bodies, and soon enough, he lost them in the great crowd moving all about. Jaebum stopped walking then, pursing his lips and losing his gaze across the back of several heads, stepping aside on the sidewalk as to make room for the other people to keep moving despite the disturbance.

 In reality, he hadn’t found it all that bad this time around, since he’d come to know that side of the neighborhood Jinyoung resided in and had become more familiar with the surroundings. Whenever Jinyoung escaped him now, he’d have an inkling where the kid might’ve ran to. It’s been a productive morning anyhow.

 Turning on his heels, he regarded the morning hustle for a couple of minutes more. Even though it was still early, he was already considering calling it a day in the surveillance aspect. He’d see what he could do with the information he’d gathered throughout the week once he got home, and then take some rest.

 However, just as he was in peace with the outcome of today and was even considering going into one of those cafes to have the breakfast he still hasn’t had, he heard it, that annoyingly familiar voice streaming from somewhere near him, saying, “Im Jaebum,” the name rolling off that tongue like a purr.

 Shit.

 Jaebum tried to keep a blank expression as he turned back around, but he was almost sure he’d unconsciously quirked one eyebrow at the sight of Jinyoung standing a few meters away from him, the arm of the other guy draped around his shoulders.

“What a coincidence to meet you here.” Jinyoung cocked his head to one side. Something in his tone put Jaebum on alert, and he narrowed his eyes at the prod he detected in those words. Jinyoung’s calm expression didn’t change though.

“You could say so.” He all but mumbled, eyes falling back on the arm hugging Jinyoung’s shoulders when it shifted to slide down and cup a gentle hand around his clothed ribs.

 And he might’ve stared at that for more than what would be considered unsuspectingly discreet, because he could sense the smirk forming on those plump lips before he forced his eyes away. Jinyoung was way too sharp in catching details, it was irritating. It might be safer to focus on the guy beside him instead.

 Just that it was the same guy from before, who accompanied Jinyoung when they all met in the crossroad, and he wore a rather similar smirk as he stared right back at him with a glint of playfulness in his doe eyes. Jaebum hadn’t recognized him earlier because the cap on his head hid most of his face from afar, but now he could see the familiarity of his features clicking into place.

 A grimace tried to rise on his face, but he pushed it down for the moment. Clearing his throat, he politely offered the guy a handshake. “Guess we haven’t been introduced. I’m Im Jaebum.”

 As the other accepted the gesture and firmly shook his hand in greeting, he briefly gazed at the yellowish tufts of hair peeking out from under the sides of his cap. But then his eyes were automatically drawn by the dazzling smile the shorter man flashed him before saying, “I’m Jackson.”

“We fuck.” Jinyoung suddenly blurted, and Jaebum blinked widened eyes back at him. His face was cautiously stoic, expression unreadable, but he caressed the hand pressing against his sides in a way that said too much without saying anything. The look on his eyes, though, was one of expectancy.

 Jaebum didn’t quite know how to react. That was so personal, why’d Jinyoung tell him that? He couldn’t help the frown that formed in the middle of his forehead, looking back at Jackson and the hand that he still held inside his own in greeting. Jackson didn’t look surprised at that intimate statement, instead he just looked calm, a bit curious and anticipating, if anything. Jaebum dragged his gaze back to Jinyoung.

 Not quite sure of what he was expected to say, Jaebum simply let go of Jackson’s hand as the handshake ended and regarded them both with one eyebrow raised. “Congratulations?”

 The bark of high-pitched laughter Jackson released then almost made him flinch. “He said congratulations,” the blond guy gushed, turning to Jinyoung and snaking his other arm around him. “Man, you found a funny one.”

 Jaebum watched the interaction with a wicked feeling of what-the-actual-fuck boiling in his stomach. Jinyoung was still staring at him when he tentatively glanced a look at his face, and he felt compelled to stare right back for a while. It was like Jinyoung challenged him to look away, dared him to break that connection, but Jaebum wasn’t one to lose.

 He wasn’t sure for how long they stood like that—it could’ve been seconds, it could’ve been minutes—but when their silent eye battle finally ended, it was with a soft hum coming from their side.

 Jackson smiled when Jaebum turned to face him, appeasing. “We’re not fucking, he just likes to make people uncomfortable.”

“We just kiss sometimes.” Jinyoung insisted, but this time, Jaebum didn’t look his way. He focused on Jackson, and how a playful grin spread across his lips as he shrugged one shoulder, confirming it with a cheeky “sometimes.”

 Well, ok. That didn’t bother him, considering how himself also swung that way sometimes, but he still didn’t understand why these two people of whom he wasn’t even a proper acquaintance to begin with were telling him that, in the middle of the street. The most reasonable explanation was that they were trying to gauge his reaction and thoughts on that matter, to either pry him away or discover another side of him. It fit well with the anticipating sharpness Jinyoung kept watching him with.

 However, Jaebum decided that he definitely wasn’t going there, wouldn’t give him that satisfaction, so he just nodded and looked away, suddenly finding a great interest in the huge commercial letters glued to the windows of the storefront they stood by. He knew how that could’ve been seen, but it was better than assuming or denying anything. The last time he was open about that, it hadn’t gone well.

“So, what brings you here in this fine day, sir?” Jinyoung asked when the silence stretched for too long. “Taking a walk, breathing fresh air?”

 Jaebum made a show of looking up at the considerably cloudy sky and then around the busy street where one couldn’t really move comfortably without being urged forward by the crowd. He hummed. “You could say so.”

 His voice hasn’t been entirely soaked in sarcasm when he framed that in a monotone—only sprinkled here and there very subtly, emphasized by his overall body language. But Jinyoung seemed to catch it anyway, and Jaebum tried not to mirror the way he licked his teeth inside his mouth before snorting as a reply.

“Do you live around here?” Jackson asked next, motioning at nothing in specific with a finger.

“Uh, no. Another neighborhood, actually.” It hasn’t been his intention to reveal he wasn’t from there, but maybe saying he lived somewhere else would make them think he was just visiting and thus lessen the suspicions on him.

 Jinyoung, however, perked up at that. “Interesting. I seem to have seen you around quite a lot lately, tho.”

 Jaebum looked at him, eyes narrowing. He wasn’t sure if Jinyoung was sincerely curious or just teasing him about that then, but he believed in the latter the most. What was a bad thing, actually, because the teasing implied Jinyoung knew more than he’s supposed to, and that could never be a good sign.

 When they got introduced in the beginning of the week, Jinyoung’s been told that Jaebum was a private investigator, so the brat could be relating to that and provoking him in that I-know-what-you’re-hiding way, for not telling Jackson this. However, in the worst case (and that was a possibility, too) it could imply that Jinyoung was aware of Jaebum following him around, hence the jab about having seen him often. And that was intriguing just as it was worrisome.

 Because, if Jinyoung’s gotten a whiff of what he was on about, why was he playing along and just letting him keep going with it? That didn’t make much sense. But then, nothing related to Jinyoung really did. And so Jaebum was impelled to believe it’s quite likely to happen that way than the other. Shit, shit, shit.

 Trying to seem unaffected, and following along with whatever game Jinyoung was playing now, he answered, “I’m working here at the moment, so I stick around often. My home lays in another place.”

 Jackson hummed, accepting the excuse even though Jaebum had meant it for Jinyoung. That was all right too, he mused, as long as one of them bought it.

 He awaited another question—about what he did for a living, or the most logical one he’s been waiting to be asked ever since they’ve met there, about why he lied the last time saying he was Jinyoung’s friend and was there to pay him a visit when the three of them knew that was a bluff. However, neither of them came. Jackson seemed satisfied with what he’s come to know so far, so he simply stood there, allowing a somewhat awkward silence to fall between them.

 Jaebum wondered whether Jinyoung had said something to him about their encounter in his house that day. Because Jackson knew they weren’t friends, watched Jinyoung playing him before each went on their ways, so it’d be expectable of him to confront Jaebum about that now. That is, if he hadn’t been told anything that changed his mind from the other part. Therefore, he assumed Jinyoung did say something about him to Jackson, which has succeeded in settling the guy’s curiosity for the time being. He just couldn’t imagine what.

“I’m hungry.” Jackson’s soft whining brought him back from his thoughts, and he looked in time to see the guy clinging even heavier onto Jinyoung’s shoulders while shaking him a little. Before he could form an opinion about that behavior, though, Jackson was turning back to him with a warm, friendly grin stretching his rosy lips. “Hey, hyung, have you had breakfast already? There’s this cafe we visit often, Gontran Cherrier, just around the corner. We can all go and eat some, if you haven’t.”

 Jaebum blinked at him, trying to digest everything. It’s been so long since the last time someone called him “hyung” that his brain actually had a hard time processing it. It didn’t feel bad, he decided, just foreign. And then it registered how he was being invited to have breakfast with those two men he still didn’t know how to act around, and how he would mostly embarrass himself through his not-very-classy eating habits. He’d come away as rude and impolite if he blatantly declined the offer, but he really didn’t want to go.

 Sharing food and having meals together could be bonding, and the last thing Jaebum wanted was to get close to his target and the kid’s friend. That was a place he’d never get himself into again.

“You can go on, don’t mind me. I’m not that hungry, anyway.” And, of course, his stomach had to choose that small pause in their conversation to rumble in protest, already enthralled by the mental image of stir-fried noodles and some jajangmyeon that his brain foolishly created. Both Jinyoung and Jackson looked down at his traitorous belly, looking back up with matching smirks one second later. Jaebum felt his cheekbones threatening to flush, so he cleared his throat, trying to seem unfazed. “I still have things to do, so. I’ll be having breakfast later. You can go.”

“As you wish, sir.” Jinyoung said at the same time Jackson sighed a rueful “What a pity, it’d have been nice to eat together.”, their voices tumbling over one another for a moment. Jaebum pursed his lips in what he wanted to believe was an apologetic smile.

 A stray blow of wind swept by, and despite the warm sun climbing each time higher on the sky, it still felt crisp and cold when it pushed against his face. Instinctively, he shrunk his shoulders and pressed his jacket tighter on his body, knuckles grazing slightly over the camera he secretly carried in his pocket. When he looked over, he saw Jackson doing almost the same as him, though he leaned against Jinyoung’s side and hugged him closer as if to provide a greater warmth through their touch.

 Jaebum watched Jinyoung smiling at his friend’s cheap tentative to warm him up, delicate whiskers kissing the corners of his eyes. He acted calmly, but Jaebum could see how he shivered when another breeze blew past. He should’ve worn something warmer, that punk.

 And Jaebum wasn’t sure how it happened, but when he came to notice, he was already clicking his tongue and frowning while chiding the other man in a way that felt way more intimate than their current relationship allowed. He blamed it to the amount of time he spent spying on him, even though the excuse sounded stupid even to himself. He had to blame something other than him, anyway.

“Shouldn’t you have worn something more appropriate for the weather, kid?” He said, and just as soon regretted it, pursing his mouth into a frown when Jinyoung focused incredibly sharp eyes on him. It didn’t take long for those rosebud lips to curl into a sly grin.

“Worrying about me, Jaebum-ssi?” Jinyoung teased, voice sleek and sweet like warm honey. Jaebum didn’t like that tone. “Beware. People might understand this wrongly.”

 Jaebum didn’t answer. He just kept staring at the other as if that would make him pull a coat from thin air and dress properly, at the same time fervently ignoring the tiny voice in the back of his head asking him why did he even care. Jinyoung stared back for one moment longer, and then snorted, snaking his arm around Jackson and tugging him forward, around Jaebum. They were leaving.

 Jackson didn’t pull a resistance to that, in fact, when he passed by Jaebum, he was chuckling lightly before saying, “Take care, hyung. Hope to see you soon.” Jaebum replied something in the same foot, but his attention was more focused on the side glance Jinyoung gave him from over Jackson’s shoulder. They didn’t greet each other goodbye.

 Jaebum cogitated following them again as soon as they turned around a corner, but he’s been exposed way too much already. He let them go enjoy the rest of their day. At least he now knew they frequented that Gontran place frequently, so that was another valuable information he could use later. Indeed, a productive morning.

 His stomach rumbled for the second time that morning, reminding him to eat. He could really appreciate some jajangmyeon now. Maybe some seaweed soup, too. It’d go right with the weather. And it was with this thought in mind that he pushed off the storefront, ready to go back.

 Looking at both sides before crossing the street, Jaebum walked away.

 

 In the past week, more precisely the day after he’d lost sight of Jinyoung in that back alley on his first night, he’d gone looking for a house to rent in the neighborhood. It hadn’t been hard to find one, what surprised him a bit, though the price was as highly absurd as Jaebum had expected it to. If it wasn’t for Mr. Choi’s financial help, he’d have never been able to rent it.

 And well, it definitely showed why. The house, despite being obviously less fancy than the ones around there, wasn’t lacking in the luxurious aspect; the exterior white brick walls exhaled sophistication and gave the residence a light, fresh feel Jaebum was very grateful for. The wooden floor that spread over the small patio surrounding the residence almost made it feel like the property was located at the beachside (instead of less than three blocks away from the Parks’ one), and that was kind of invigorating, too.

 There’s a whole wall taken by floor-to-ceiling windows which showed great part of the interior, and that did feel a bit too much since Jaebum felt considerably exposed there, but that could be dealt with some heavy, dark drapes, anyway. The place remained incredibly beautiful. It must be good to be rich, he mused sourly, jogging up the entrance wooden steps and unlocking the front door.

 After stumbling upon Jinyoung and Jackson at Rodeo Street earlier, Jaebum walked all the way back across the fields to where his Honda was still parked and hopped inside, driving away to the place he’d be calling home for the next few months now. He’d made up his mind to leave Jinyoung alone for the weekend already, so he supposed he might as well get fully settled in those two free days he’d given himself. It’d also help him to organize his thoughts and carefully plan his next move. A win-win decision, really.

 The boxes filled with the stuff he’d packed before moving out of his apartment—which he’d asked Mark to send to his new address (once he’s gotten one)—still sat in piles by the doorway, his travel bag carelessly dropped on top of one of them. They’d arrived four days ago, and he still hasn’t had the time to unpack.

 His stomach, however, told him he wouldn’t be doing that now either. Food first. Luckily enough, he’d dropped by a grocery store a couple days prior and bought a few essential things for his living, therefore he wouldn’t starve. At least not for the next week and a half. Even though he’d bought more noodles than anything else really.

 And it’s like this Jaebum found himself spending the first hour of his first self-given day off, boiling water for his noodles while going through the footage of Jinyoung he’d captured on his camera through the past week. The jajangmyeon he’d been dreaming of would’ve to wait for another day.

 There were a lot of photos there in his camera, even though Jaebum had initially thought they’re scarce and unhelpful. Most of them were of Jinyoung wandering around the neighborhood he lived in, some of him looking at the shelves in convenience stores even, but the absolute pattern in them was the one of him walking on the streets. Sometimes alone, sometimes accompanied. Just like in the photos from today, of him and Jackson outing together.

 Just from these quick escapades and improvised dates, Jaebum was certain he could create a loose itinerary for the kid’s whereabouts and handle it to his employer, so the older man could keep an eye on Jinyoung in his place. However, he found himself hesitating.

 He could really end his participation in that case just like that, take his money and go back to Sinsa, but something stopped him. And damn him, he wouldn’t ever admit that this something most likely was the intriguing aura Jinyoung had. It’s like an itch he couldn’t scratch, this interest he’d developed on the kid. There’s something about him that made the back of Jaebum’s neck prickle. A bad omen, of some sort.

 Jaebum wanted to dig in further, deeper. Not just on Jinyoung’s life, but on that whole case, too. He knew he should stay away from the mystery surrounding the patriarch’s death, and only focus on protecting—taking care of Jinyoung by knowing where he goes every day, but it’s strange. They were basing that case on a hypothesis, a suspicion of murder, instead of facts. It was almost like a principles matter to know whether they stood on steady grounds in this or not now.

 This thought spurt Jaebum on, leaving his camera on the couch excessively soft-cushioned seat to cross the small living room and jog the few steps up to the adjacent room. The bedroom was in the same state as the rest of the house: a mess of boxes piled all around. In one of those, he remembered to have stuffed his agenda in, and so he put his hands to work, opening several of them in search of it.

 After frustrating minutes, Jaebum found his agenda in the far back of the third box bottom-to-top. In there, he kept a selected list of contacts that he knew would be useful for him in the future, and almost all of them owned him a favor in some way. Flipping through the pages at first absentmindedly, he padded back to the living room and slumped on the couch.

 One photo of Jinyoung grinning at something Jackson has been showing him at Rodeo Street displayed on the camera’s screen as it slid across the seat to rest against Jaebum’s thigh. He looked at it, frowning at that expression. It seemed off, just like everything about Park Jinyoung.

 Jaebum stared at the lifeless gleam on those dark-brown eyes as he picked up his phone and dialed the eleventh number scribbled on his agenda. It rang for about four times before the line connected.

 A familiar voice—one he hasn’t heard in quite a while—greeted from the other end, tone turned into an almost appreciate croak as they said, “ _Im Jaebum. What can I do for you today?_ ”

 

 Jaebum could boast about the valuable contacts he’s gathered through the years. In any way or another, he’s helped many people during his bodyguarding era, and the amount of people who ended up owning him a favor was enough to provide him information for the rest of his career. Lee Jaemin was one of them.

“ _So, let me see if I got this right_ ,” Jaemin was saying as Jaebum picked up his camera and put himself to scroll through the photos, phone balanced between one shoulder and ear. “ _You want me to hack into the system and check if your man really died from a heart thing?”_

 Jaebum grimaced. “You make it sound gross this way.”

“ _Well, that’s what you’re asking me to do, ain’t that right?”_

“You do have access to the files, considering how you’ve worked as an assistant coroner for what, seven years? So, it wouldn’t be hacking.”

_“It’s five years, and I’m not even in the field anymore. You know why I quit, it’s the same motive as yours.”_

 Jaebum stared at one of the photos he took of Jinyoung wandering off the streets near his house somewhere along the past week, not really seeing it. He did know why Jaemin has quit his job years ago. It still plagued him, the sheer thought of how what happened that day had impacted all their lives in some way or another.

 Sometimes, Jaebum liked to think that it’s been just him the one to get affected, because carrying the weight of destroying one live seemed better to handle than the weight of destroying several other ones. But the truth was, his actions had harmed many people back then, and most of them still suffered the aftereffects of it until today.

 Maybe that’s why he’s distanced himself from almost everyone he knew at that time, ending friendships and relationships that he’s once considered the most important ones in his life. He couldn’t bear looking them in the eye after taking something so precious from them. It wasn’t fair, neither with them and himself.

 His eyes focused on Jinyoung’s photo again, and he realized how he’s probably taken too much to reply already. Turning off the camera with a sigh, he stood up to pace around the room. “You still have access to the files.”

“ _Why do you even want to know this kind of shit, Jaebum?”_ Jaemin didn’t deny his previous statement, so Jaebum knew he was slowly getting his way with him. It’s advantageous to know his contacts that well. He always knew when he could push, and whether it’d result in something good for him.

 And right then, the signs were positive enough to make him want to smile a little triumphantly to the phone. “Just because. It’s related to this new case I’m working on.”

_“You ain’t doing anything dangerous again, right?”_

“I’m just curious about something, hyung. It’s harmless.”

_“If you’re lying to me and you end up in my table in the next few days, I will file you away under ‘died because was stupid’ terms. I mean it.”_

 Jaebum couldn’t help the chuckle that left his chest in a wave at that. He could picture it perfectly, how Jaemin would so bravely say those things but still wear a troubled expression while biting his nails in apprehension. He missed their friendship. “Thought you weren’t in the field anymore.”

 _“I’d do an exception for you, honey.”_ Jaemin crooned mockingly, out of tune and sickeningly sweet. If they were face-to-face now, Jaebum would’ve more than certainly flipped him off. He heard Jaemin moving around, the rustle of something in the background, and then he was speaking to the line again, _“What’s the name?”_

 This time, Jaebum did grin in triumph. “Park…” and just like that, his grin faltered. “Something.”

“ _Park something,”_ Jaemin repeated, incredulous, and Jaebum closed his eyes while mentally scolding himself for still being oblivious to the man’s full name. _“Is that a joke?”_

“I don’t know his full name, just- search it on the system, write in ‘Park’, ‘heart attack’, ‘petroleum industry’ and see what appears.”

 Jaebum could hear Jaemin grumbling through the line, but he did as he was told, if the tapping sound that echoed in the background meant anything. They spent a moment like this, and then he was snorting with laughter. _“Got it. Can’t believe this shit worked.”_

“Told you.” Jaebum boasted. “What does it say there?”

_“Hmm. Rich dude. It’s truly written ‘heart attack’ here on his cause of death, though. Is there really a suspicion that it should be different?”_

“Kinda. The coroner who examined him didn’t write anything else?”

 _“Nope.”_ Jaemin clicked his tongue. _“I can dig in further, if you want? We have this private site where we write our extraofficial reports before sending them to the authorities to make it public. Sometimes, there are changes on it depending on whoever’s interests is on the line.”_

 Jaebum raised both eyebrows in amusement, eyes darting across the room to look outside through the windows in alert, as if searching someone who might come and kill him just for knowing about that extraofficial shit. “Is that even legal?”

 _“Duh.”_ The sarcastic tone Jaemin used was enough of an answer already, and Jaebum rolled his eyes at his own stupidity for a moment. Of course it wasn’t. _“Anyway, no one besides the insiders know about this, but I still have my password and login ID if you want to check whether they wrote something different on your man’s report before it became official. It takes time, though. Maybe a few days until I get a confirmation to fully access it.”_

“That’s ok, I can wait. I just want to be sure.”

_“Ok. I’ll call you as soon as I discover something.”_

“Thank you, hyung.”

 _“And-”_ he called right before Jaebum had the chance to hang up, _“how are you doing? I mean, after… well. We haven’t kept much contact. You hanging on alright?”_

“Yep. Everything’s fine.” Jaebum snapped, words flowing maybe too sharply to pass as unbothered. It wasn’t really a surprise though, Jaemin asking him if he were still alright, given how he hasn’t looked all that sane when they last saw each other. It didn’t mean he liked to answer those questions any better, or at all.

 And luckily enough, Jaemin seemed to know and understand that too, because he didn’t prod further into the matter, and simply hummed again. _“Good. I’ll keep in touch, then. About your man.”_

 Jaebum nodded to himself, feeling thankful. “All right, thank you again. Take care.”

_“You too.”_

 The line went dead, and Jaebum turned off his phone, placing it on top of one of the boxes spread about. He still didn’t know where he expected to go with that, but having a confirmation of whether Mr. Park has been killed seemed pretty crucial for the development of his investigation. A path they should’ve taken since the beginning. Jaebum felt like they should get that uncertainty out of the way if they wanted to move further still.

 His stomach growled to remind him to eat again, and then he remembered how he still hasn’t checked the water he’s left boiling a long while ago, which by now has probably evaporated thoroughly.

 Jaebum sighed, dejectedly, before making his way to the kitchen and hastily turning off the stove. Luckily, he hasn’t set his new home on fire this time, but a burnt pan was already bad enough. Maybe eating some chips for brunch was safer, after all.

 


	5. Five

 

 It wasn’t until another week has passed that Jaebum put his foot in the Parks’ residence again, a wrinkled envelop tucked under his arm. He should present the results of his surveillance to his client, even though they weren’t all that many still. Because two weeks had passed already. Jaebum should show Mr. Choi at least something about his progress in the case.

 This time, Mr. Choi was aware of his imminent arrival and thus went to wait for him by the gates. They’d decided to have a meeting in the late afternoon that day, and the sky looked positively like a lilac canvas when Jaebum glanced up at it, covered in broad streaks of peach and faint tangerine. The shadows the fading sun sifting through the iron bars cast across the gravel path gave the property a dramatic feel. Jaebum didn’t think it could get even more dramatic than it already was.

 As he got accompanied into the house after exchanging brief greetings with his employer, he noticed how the movement in there seemed busier than the last time. Several servants walked from one place to another, carrying trays with either porcelain plates and silverware or cleaning products and supplies. None of them seemed to mind Jaebum’s presence, too busy with their household chores, so he tried not to mind their habitual hustle either.

 He doubted someone would ever spare him more than one glance after seeing him being walked by their superior, anyway. They’d probably assume he were from a higher status and refrain from disturbing or approaching him altogether. It’s better that way, he decided, right before being invited to enter the library by the end of the corridor again.

“Want something to drink today, Jaebum-nim?” Mr. Choi offered as he walked in, purposely standing in the doorway in case he had to come back out and ask someone to provide his order.

 Jaebum opened his mouth to decline, but thought better of it and found himself replying, “coffee is fine”. He wanted to order maybe some soju or hongju instead, but he didn’t think they should be having liquor during a meeting, being it as informal as it were. The thought of dropping by a convenience store later and buying a few bottles lingered in his mind, regardless.

 Mr. Choi smiled politely and then excused himself from the room for a few moments. Jaebum looked around aimlessly as he was left alone, resuming his walk further into the room until he found himself standing by the higharched windows. The view outside was of the front yard, now lit up by the LED garden lights spread about as the sky gradually turned darker. It looked beautiful.

 Right beside the window there’s a broad shelf filled with books, and Jaebum found himself staring at them next. He recognized some authors and book titles there, a few of them being the detective novels he used to read back in high school, and this brought a faint smile to his lips. Jaebum liked to read.

 Bae Eunjeong once did, too. She liked fables the most; her all time favorite, _“The Wolves and The Sheep_ ”. It enthralled her, how sly the wolves were and how easily they fooled the sheep in the fable, assuring them that they’d get along beautifully if it weren’t for those dogs that kept all the wolves at a respectful distance from the sheep, even convincing them to persuade the dogs to go away, and then having the feast of their lives in the sheep pasture.

 The moral of the story was to don’t give up friends for foes, but every time she read the fable for Jaebum under the dim light of a candle in the library, she’d end it by saying, “And the moral of the story is: sheep are dumb.”

 Jaebum furrowed his brows as if the grimace would shoo the thought away. He focused his attention back to the books, mentally reading their titles to occupy his mind with something other than unwanted memories.

 There’s this book title that read _“Water Softening with Potassium Chloride_ ”, shoved into the far back of the shelf, hid between two other thick novels. Jaebum cocked his head to see it better. It had ‘Agricultural and Biological Engineering’ written in smaller words right under the title. A gardening book of some sort, maybe. He wasn’t familiar with that area anyway, so he didn’t pay much mind to it. He preferred the detective novels ones still.

 Footsteps started to echo along the corridor again. Jaebum walked back across the library, stopping by the couches and nodding in greeting when Mr. Choi stepped into the room for the second time that afternoon.

“It’s been requested. One of our staff will be bringing us coffee in a while.” The older man informed, closing the door behind him and then approaching Jaebum, promptly motioning him to sit down. As soon as they were both settled in the dark-red couches, Mr. Choi cleared his throat. “Now, what do you have for me, Jaebum-nim?”

 Jaebum placed the envelop where he’d slipped in all the photos and tentative schedules he’s put together throughout his days of surveillance on the center table between them, sliding it across the wooden surface slightly. The look on Mr. Choi’s face was one of eagerness and anticipation as he then reached for it.

“Jinyoung is somehow… hard to track.” Jaebum started, watching how the older man took out Jinyoung’s schedule to examine first. “The places and streets listed there aren’t that precise yet, there’s no how you can affirm he’ll be in one of those when he sneaks out again, but. These are the places he visits more often whenever he is out.”

 Mr. Choi nodded his understanding, eyes gliding over the commercial names typed in there. He flipped through the few pages of content for a moment until he got to the last one, where he frowned and read out loud, “Gontran Cherrier?”

 Jaebum nodded slowly. At first, while choosing the information he wanted to share with his client about Jinyoung’s whereabouts, he hadn’t added the hint he’s gotten from Jackson. It didn’t feel right, mostly because it’s been something he hasn’t confirmed himself and thus could be as fake as the innocent smiles Jinyoung always gave him whenever they met.

 But then, there’s nothing particularly wrong in sharing uncertain information for someone who was omitting further leads while running a side investigation. That, funnily enough, applied to the both of them, but Jaebum wasn’t getting there yet.

“It’s a cafe.” He explained, albeit vaguely and only for the sake of it, since the proper name of the street and additional address to that cafe hasn’t been specified in the document. Jaebum was giving away information, yes, though he decided how much of it. Powerful. That sounded good.

 Mr. Choi nodded, wrinkled brow still furrowed. No more comments were made as he kept on reading the file. The couple of photos annexed to the document came to his inspection next, but he didn’t spend too much time on them, neatly tucking them back into the envelop after only a quick look over.

“He’s not getting himself in trouble.” Jaebum offered next, seeing how the man was back to analyzing the schedule as if not truly convinced of the things he learned in there. “He’s just keeping his mind busy. Going out and, you know, chilling.”

“I see.” Mr. Choi sighed. “That’s good.”

 Jaebum considered telling the other about the accidental encounter he had with Jinyoung and Jackson on Rodeo Street, just like he’d considered telling him about their episode in the crossroad the first time they talked about the case in that library. However, once again he decided against it.

 This time, his excuse was that he’s running a side investigation on his own even though they’d agreed that he wouldn’t be doing anything of that kind, and wanted to keep things to himself until he got to know more about the case’s core. If his client could run a side investigation without periodically briefing him in about it, why couldn’t he do the same? Jaebum thought he was in his right to get a little sneaky then.

 The feeling that he was going against the silently stipulated rules of sticking to his surveillance and not trying to be a detective on that actually provoked exciting chills to run underneath his skin. Doing something forbidden always felt way nicer and rather stimulating. For some reason, he felt like a boy hiding his porn magazines from his parents while still checking them behind their back right before bedtime. Jaebum tried to suppress the giddy grin that threatened to break through his cautiously serious expression. Not the time.

 There were two knocks on the door then, and both Jaebum and Mr. Choi straightened up at the sound. As the elderly called whomever stood by the threshold in, hiding the envelop and all its contents behind one large cushion, Jaebum thought about how smooth and neat their arrival had been once he hasn’t even heard footsteps approach the library until the soft thuds came. The door creaked open, and he focused his attention on the person trailing into the room instead.

 Kim Jisoo greeted them with a polite, toothless smile before walking to the couches and busying herself with the tray she carried in both hands. The alluring smell of caffeine instantly impregnated the room. Jaebum didn’t think they’ve been there for more than five minutes. They surely brewed coffee pretty fast in that house.

 As the woman served them, Jaebum couldn’t help noticing how she kept glancing in his direction at every positioning of saucers and porcelain cups over the table. Her movements were precise, delicate yet sharp, but it was still evident how that kind of job wasn’t the one she usually did. She looked more like the one type of employee who didn’t interact much with the guests, maybe sticking to the chores that required her to do her job quietly, yet being the absolute best in any area she tried. She gave off a superior aura. Strikingly so that it was hard for Jaebum to really see her as someone’s servant.

 She poured him coffee, confidently answering to something Mr. Choi had said, which Jaebum failed at paying attention to since he was too busy paying attention to her instead. Her black and white uniform folded around the edges as she bent forward to pick up his beverage and handle it to him next.

 Their eyes met when Jaebum reached for the cup, one polite “thank you” tickling the tip of his tongue as it almost left his mouth, fingers gripping the sides of the saucer right next to hers. Although he didn’t know what it was, something in her jet-black eyes made a cold shiver rake up his spine.

 Jaebum stared up at her, mouth half-open around something he wanted to say but forgot what. But she didn’t look intimidated or weirded out by his reaction in the slightest. If anything, as she smiled at him rather than to him, she looked pleased and satisfied.

 She did resemble Jinyoung in some weird way, though the image she transmitted was one way more docile and less witty than his. The both of them left Jaebum feeling uncomfortable and kind of creeped out, nonetheless.

“Thank you.” Jaebum finally managed, looking away and frowning at himself for the way he reacted. They were still holding the saucer together when he felt something smooth under his fingertips, the unmistakable texture of paper pressing against the pad of his fingers. Sliding his puzzled gaze back up, he only had time to get a glimpse of another toothless smile before Jisoo let go and turned away from him.

 Taking the hint, Jaebum slid the piece of paper into his pocket as discreetly as he could while the woman poured Mr. Choi’s coffee next, even though he still found that situation a little bizarre. What would be written in there? His curiosity got the back of his neck prickling, though he knew how to stomp it down and pretend nothing happened by taking a small sip of his drink.

 The coffee tasted good, maybe a little too sweet where it left a treacly taste to linger on his tongue. It still tasted a hundred times better than the one their old coffee machine did back in their office. Jaebum wondered whether Mark had already bought them a new one while watching the servant moving around.

 It didn’t take long for Jisoo’s task to come to an end after this. She laid the rest of the utensils on the table and graciously withdrew the tray from the tabletop, gave them a subtle bow as a farewell and walked away. Jaebum followed her with his eyes until she got to the door, taking another sip to hide part of his face behind the border of his cup.

 When she was about to exit the library, she locked gazes with him again, but this time she didn’t grace him with another mysterious smile. She simply bowed again and stepped out, closing the door behind herself with a mute click. Jaebum didn’t know what to think about what just happened, so he just decided to don’t think about anything at all. That Kim Jisoo certainly was something else.

 Mr. Choi abandoned his barely touched coffee in favor of going back to the stack of papers that weighed heavily under the cushion by his side on the couch when the door was shut close. He cautiously slipped the schedule and the rest of files back into the envelop when Jaebum focused his attention back on him, but his aged hands still held the parched material tightly as if he wanted to open it and inspect the content again.

 Like this, they fell in a silence where Jaebum waited for the other to ask something, but once no question came, he brought up the topic of side investigations he’s been thinking about just before they got interrupted and did the asking instead. “And your side investigation?”

 At those words, Mr. Choi’s head rose slowly, eyes leaving the paper to meet his. “What about it?”

 Jaebum shrugged, trying to look nonchalant about it. “How’s it going? Found anything suspicious?”

“Oh, no. I’ve been watching, but no one’s done anything that has caught my attention so far.” The older man assured, although a bit disappointed. “I’m even starting to think… has it been just my old mind playing games on me?”

 It was a rhetorical question, an almost self-deprecating one, but Jaebum still had his mouth open in answer when Mr. Choi beat him on it, answering himself instead, “Maybe we should stop this here, now that I know Jinyoung-ssi isn’t doing anything stupid.”

 It took him off-guard, that statement. Not because it’s what he’s been trying to convince the old man about ever since they met in his office, but because it was him the one to come up with that now. It should be relieving for Jaebum, to finally end that case and come back home. The reality, however, didn’t work that way, and as soon as his client proposed them to put the dots on i’s, Jaebum couldn’t help questioning every single motive behind it.

 Of course, Mr. Choi could just be assured by his investigation and decided that he was going a little overboard with that whole murder story and all. There wasn’t any problem in that. But Jaebum still had that funny feeling prickling the back of his neck, telling him something wasn’t right.

 Convinced that they shouldn’t be leaving it at that, he tried a different approach, not really answering Mr. Choi’s proposal for them to end the case right there. “What made you think it’s someone from the inside that killed your ex-boss? They wouldn’t be getting anything from the heritage even if they did. Even them coming for Jinyoung next… what benefit would they have from it?”

 Mr. Choi seemed confused at first, as if not really understanding why they were discussing that topic once again, especially after what has been said. Frowning slightly, he cleared his throat. “I don’t know, sir, it’s just. Who _else_ would be?” His hold on the envelop tightened. “Everyone recovered so fast. From Mr. Park’s death, I mean. It hasn’t been even two months, and everyone is acting like always, behaving as if nothing has changed.”

“Maybe they’re just too bad at grieving.” Jaebum jabbed, throwing the words Mr. Choi had once said now back at him. He didn’t know why he was getting so defensive, worked up even, but it was already late to even consider taking back the words when he found himself saying, words bitter and sour, “You criticized the way Jinyoung coped with his dad’s death, saying that him spending his time locked in his bedroom was a bad way of grieving. But you also criticize it when the rest of the staff grieve by being the same and moving on with their lives. How are they supposed to grieve, then?”

“Feeling something. Moving on, yes, but without pretending nothing happened.” Mr. Choi sighed. “The hustle you saw just now? The fact it’s our chambermaid the one to come and serve us coffee?” He tsked. “We’re organizing a social gathering, for the end of the month. It’s way too soon, but it’s under Mr. Park’s sponsors request. They want to check on Jinyoung-ssi to see if they’ll keep investing on the Park name, surrounding the poor kid like vultures. Jinyoung-ssi must give them a good impression to keep the sponsorship.”

“That’s why you’re so worried about Jinyoung barely staying home?” There was a frown wrinkling Jaebum’s brow now. “You want him to be present and do well, so the Parks’ will keep their monthly income of money to boost the development of that environmentally friendly oil similar to petroleum.”

“I want him to be financially assured and have a prospering future.” He corrected, the tone of his voice more like one of scolding. Jaebum could feel that there was some kind of tension arousing in between them, the atmosphere in the library seeming denser and heavier.

 Jaebum knew it was because his client felt attacked by the way he had inquired him about his motives on that case, subtly making it seem like they were more on the selfish side than actually in behalf of protecting Jinyoung’s future. Nevertheless, no one commented about that tension out loud, letting it brood in silence.

“I’ll keep the surveillance ‘till the end of month.” Jaebum stated then, avoiding the questioning gaze his client shot him afterwards. Putting his cup down on the tabletop, he let he clatter of porcelain sit dramatically between them before finally standing up.

 Mr. Choi still seemed confused as he also put himself to his feet. “What for?” He pointed vaguely towards the envelop on the couch. “Is there something more?”

“This social gathering.” He explained with a grimace. “A lot of people crowding him, requesting his attention and, as you sir just said, surrounding him like vultures… it could be dangerous, don’t you think? Something could happen then.”

“I don’t quite think so, Jaebum-nim. I’ll be by his side the whole time, too. As his guardian. I don’t think someone might be this reckless to try something right under everyone’s nose.”

“It’s a possibility.” Jaebum insisted. He didn’t want to be taken out of that case before getting word from Jaemin confirming that Mr. Park hasn’t been murdered. He didn’t believe it in the beginning, but the bad omen he’s been feeling every now and again ever since he moved in to Apgujeong kind of changed his perspective a bit.

 It’d be only until the end of the month, anyway. He’d feel better when nothing happened and he got his suspicious proved wrong and unfounded. But until then, he wanted to stick to Jinyoung for as long as he could.

“If you think it’s really necessary.” Mr. Choi acquiesced with a sharp nod of head and heavy purse of lips. It’s obvious how he was unwilling to keep that going, and Jaebum wondered whether that was about the great amount of money he would have to keep paying him for his services, but the thought didn’t stick. He abandoned it in behalf of taking the hand the older man now offered him for a handshake. “Well, I think this settles our meeting for today, then. Keep me updated, as always.”

 Jaebum simply nodded, purposely not agreeing or disagreeing with that last statement. Unprofessionalism was something he wasn’t fully familiar with, but as his client didn’t complain about it not even a single time while walking him out the library, he decided it wouldn’t be that hard to grow used to it.

 As they crossed the foyer, Mr. Choi had to interrupt his friendly inquiry about whether Jaebum was enjoying his stay in the new place he’s come to rent, since they got approached by one of the servants, the young male informing him there was someone on the phone asking for his time.

 At this, Jaebum offered to find his own way out, so he wouldn’t be taking much more of the older man’s time. His client both thanked him and apologized for the inconvenience before greeting him one last polite bow and breaking into a shuffling trot across the hall with the servant in tow.

 Despite sometimes feeling an inexplicably urge to debate everything Mr. Choi had to say, as if he was already senile and not still verging on his sixty-something years old, Jaebum liked the man. He had a strong character and view about the world. Seemed trustful. Jaebum didn’t have much to complain.

 Right before reaching the front door and stepping outside, Jaebum spotted the cook’s son among the people coming and going through rooms just as the boy spotted him back. Youngjae grinned instantly, recognizing him, and waved a hand from afar. That almost caused another servant who was hurrying past him to drop all the impeccably shiny wine glasses she carried on a tray. They both startled, scared at the prospect of what would’ve happened if the woman hasn’t dodged his raised arm and thus succeeded in balancing the tray and its content in her hands.

 Jaebum snorted to himself, watched Youngjae clumsily apologizing to the woman that now glared at him. When she stomped to the kitchen with a frustrated yet forgiving huff, the kitchen boy turned his attention back to Jaebum, grinning once again despite the hustle around himself. This time, Jaebum grinned back. And when Youngjae got called back to work, someone recruiting him to do something in the kitchen, Jaebum returned the little bow with which the boy had greeted him goodbye and was out the house in one step.

 It’s already dark when he crossed the gravel walkway in long strides. Although the sky looked pretty without all those stars that sprinkled it most of the nights, Jaebum knew it usually meant they’d be having rainy days soon.

 Well, rainfalls were always highly expected during that time of year, anyway. It wouldn’t really come away as a surprise to wake up to one of them tomorrow. Especially if taken into consideration how the nights have gotten chiller to the point where the subdued cold would stretch until the morning.

 The fountain, when Jaebum glanced at it on his way out, still jetted water lazily, maybe going through its last cycle of the day as the flow wasn’t as powerful or artistic as it did during daytime. The LED lights that surrounded it casted shadows on the otherwise white cement, though created wonderful sparkles in the water. Jaebum appreciated the view for one moment, casually slipping both hands into the pockets of his pants as he walked. And it was then that he remembered the piece of paper he’d been sneakingly handed in the library.

 Stopping by the gates, he warily took the folded sheet out. The streetlamps were lit, each one throwing garish pools of warm orange onto the sidewalks, and Jaebum stood right under one of those steady lights to read what he soon discovered to be witty words scribbled on paper.

 As soon as he started reading, he felt his blood heating up in both shame and delightful diversion _. “What’s up with this scruffy look you insist on pulling off? I’m sincerely intrigued now.”_ Was written on the note, and Jaebum realized, with some self-loathing still, how he instantly knew who that belonged to.

 His eyes automatically shot up to glare at the third row of windows on the main house. The lights were off, but the drapes were drawn ever so slightly near the bottom, in an angle that confirmed someone was up there watching him. Jinyoung wasn’t stupid, so the only reasonably explanation was that he wanted Jaebum to know he was there, the attention seeker asshole.

 Jaebum considered flipping Jinyoung off from down there, but decided against it once he figured that was the kind of reaction the kid was probably after. He snorted, rereading the note again. Annoyed as he may get, he gritted his teeth so hard his jaw hurt. And although he knew he should crumple that teasing note and throw it away with how mad he got whenever and wherever Jinyoung was involved, he kept it.

 For some reason, he found himself carefully folding the note again and slipping it back into his pocket. And as he finally exited the Parks’ property and walked up the street towards his car, the crooked grin that spread across his chapped lips was also inexplicable to him, or whoever that might’ve ended seeing it.

 

 Keeping true to his word, Jaebum decided he’d keep doing surveillance for the days that followed, starting again from Monday. And just as he’d imagined, the rainfall season lived up to its name by mercilessly striking the city throughout the weekend.

 The weather was supposed to get warmer now, at least warmer than the previous month, but the rainfalls made it seem like the temperature kept decreasing instead of increasing towards the hoped for the daytime average of 17ºC. Good thing he’d found his favorite bomber jacket while unpacking his things the whole Saturday.

 It’s Sunday evening when he got word from Jaemin again. Jaemin hasn’t called him to brief him on the case, no, but he did leave him a message saying that he’s been successful in his sneaky research.

 In the text, he’d said that there’s something in the results of his man’s autopsy that didn’t match what had been released to the public, and it was quite intriguing of why, but it didn’t seem like something huge. It did state ‘ischaemic heart failure’ in the cause of death there, though.

 In any case, Jaemin had ended it by saying he was in the middle of something now and would contact him later to talk about it thoroughly. Jaebum waited. Jaemin hasn’t called him back since.

 Jaebum was left wondering what kind of difference in results could that be. Even though Jaemin had assured him that Mr. Park did die of what they’ve been told he did, there’s something that still bothered him. He couldn’t tell exactly what, but. He wanted to put his eyes on those unmatching results as soon as possible.

 Later that night, Jaebum drove down to park his car a few houses away from the Parks’ residence. He’d made up his mind to leave it at that for the weekend and only go after Jinyoung again on Monday, but the text he’d received earlier in the evening got him restless enough to come back for one last little peek.

 He drummed his fingers against the steering wheel, eyes narrowing to focus on the dimly lit house, but the foggy night made it difficult for him to see clearly all the way to up there. It couldn’t be later than ten o’clock, but it seemed like everyone has gone to bed already or was in the process of doing so. Jaebum wondered whether that included Jinyoung. Probably not.

 While waiting for something to happen, he decided he could really use a buzz and then reached for his pack of cigarettes and lighter both. Once his cigarette was lit, he put it between his lips and took a long drag before rolling the windows down and blowing the smoke through the gap. The nicotine eased his nerves slowly, smoothly. He took another drag.

 There’s a light rain falling in very fine drops to coat his Honda’s windshield with moisture as he scooted down the driver’s seat to make himself more comfortable. He could lean the seat back, recline it through the seat adjustment, but the mechanism was stuck for more days than he can count. He settled for digging the very end of his spine onto the seat, back pushing against the backrest. It felt comfortable in some way.

 A sudden thud on the window by the passenger side startled him from the relaxed state he’d managed to slip into, though. Alarmed, Jaebum scooted back up the seat and sat straighter, frantic eyes scanning through the slight misted-up glass only to acknowledge a shadow standing by the car. There was another thud, this time followed by the distinctive click of the passenger’s door whooshing open, and that’s when Jaebum noticed how he hadn’t even considered locking the car since he was in there and, in theory, no thief would be dumb enough to break into a vehicle whose driver was still inside. Much less with that icy drizzle outside.

 Apparently, that wasn’t the case now, because the person was now swiftly slipping inside and landing right beside him on the compact space of his Honda. Needless to say, wet from the shitty weather outside and absolutely uncaring about soaking the passenger seat.

 Instinctively, Jaebum reached for the gun he didn’t carry inside the strap of his jeans for a couple of years now, a clear reflex from the past, which still seemed to make a home out of his subconscious even after all this time. He cursed, not really sure if mentally or verbally, but still.

 In any case, he was ready to confront whoever had the audacity to go into his car without his consent, maybe even throw hands and kick the other out. And he even raised one fist, threateningly, when the person snapped the door shut after themselves, trapping the both of them there. But then, he recognized those big ears he was already so familiar with after so many photos and videos of their round profile, and his aggressiveness ceased, only to make room for a dull anxiety and sense of panic. Oh, fuck.

“You…?” stuttered Jaebum, indignation and nervousness seeping from his tone alone. He lowered his fist again, all but glaring at the amusing expression that contorted Jinyoung’s features.

“Detective.” Jinyoung greeted back, going as far as to tip an imaginary hat on his head with a flourish, almost knocking his elbow on the side of the door. His chocolate brown hair was of a darker shade now, a disheveled brush of bangs swept across his forehead with the sleek weight of waterdrops that occasionally skirted down the sides of his face in a caress. His skin gleamed where he’d drenched himself in the rain.

 The leather jacket Jaebum had seen him wearing on the day they met was back now, and there was a turtleneck pullover underneath it that looked positively dry despite the state of the rest of his clothes. Overall, he wore heavier clothes now. Luckily. Though still had been dumb enough to go out in that weather without an umbrella. That kid was insufferable.

 Well, fuck it. If Jinyoung wanted to get sick so bad, then so be it. Jaebum’s brow furrowed into an untasteful grimace. “I’m an investigator.”

“Aren’t y’all the same, tho? Sticking your noses where you shouldn’t.” Jinyoung scrunched his own nose, at either the topic of their conversation or the heavy smell of smoke in there, Jaebum couldn’t be sure.

 And didn’t quite care, he decided, caging the stub between his lips again whilst rolling his eyes. A dog barked somewhere further down the street. Jaebum looked out the window to seek out the noise, albeit uninterestedly. “How did you know this’s my car?”

“It fitted you.” Jinyoung answered blandly, though Jaebum could still hear the mischievous ‘Who else would be driving this piece of crap in such neighborhood’ behind those words. He could almost see the shape of them, molded by that pouty mouth before it dragged across a mean smirk.

 That was true though, he couldn’t deny it. But he didn’t feel nice having that clear status divergence slapped on his face either. Slipping his hand between the gap in the window, he tapped the base of his cigarette twice with a thumb. The ashes flickered in the air for one second before getting dragged down by its humidity.

“Smoking is injurious to health.” Jinyoung was saying again, maybe taking Jaebum’s silence as a green light for him to keep speaking his mind. Because, if that was his way of trying to keep the talk going, he was doing it wrong. The faster way for Jaebum to close off was telling him things he already knew. That, and criticizing his habits. And Jinyoung was doing both.

 Jaebum simply looked at him, unimpressed even though his guts still reeled with anxiety, while pressing the ciggy back against his lips. Their eyes met as he closed his lips around the stub, and he narrowed one eye while sucking the smoke into his mouth. Jinyoung made a face. Jaebum pinned him with another look before turning back around to blow the smoke out through the window. None of them said anything else.

 One moment passed like this, tense silence magnified by the rain pitter-pattering on the roof, but then Jaebum watched Jinyoung turning around to face the door by his side. At first, he wondered if Jinyoung was going to leave just like that—and that whole interaction would’ve been quite weird if he did—but the thought left him as soon as he saw those slender fingers playing with the buttons on the window control panel instead of reaching for the door handle. He should’ve known Jinyoung wouldn’t back down from whatever shit he was pulling off that easily.

 And Jinyoung fumbled with them for a while, pressing, pressing, pressing; but it didn’t matter how hard he pressed them, neither how repetitively, the window on his side simply wouldn’t move. When it finally did, hardly so and only for a fraction of second, it came accompanied by a high-pitched cry of the glass sliding down that got Jaebum’s cheek heating in mortification.

 He could only be grateful for the poor lighting of the street that night when Jinyoung flinched at the sound, surprised, and then turned back to look at him with an eyebrow raised. Damn fucking car.

“Ugh, move.” He commanded with a groan, throwing his cigarette away through the only window that worked properly in the entire car. When Jinyoung quietly did so, he realized with a pang of annoyance how the expression on the guy’s face was one of cheerfulness, the corners of his mouth twitching in what he just _knew_ to be a restrained laugh.

 For some reason, Jaebum felt like laughing himself just by looking at the pure delight he saw twinkling in Jinyoung’s sharp eyes. That, or smacking his head against the dashboard. He could go for both, really.

 Jaebum leaned in, trying to make the window roll down with one hand, humiliatingly and precariously punching the side of the door in tries to get the mechanism to work. All the while, it's impossible to ignore how his forearm kept brushing against Jinyoung's chest as he got into his space, over him, as for to reach his door. The rubbing of his bomber jacket on Jinyoung's leather one rumbled softly across the front seats as he tried not to overthink how close they were, how weird it felt, and how he didn’t necessarily mind it.

 In general, it took him only four thuds to get the window sliding down again. He worked it down for more than half of its height, disregarding the rain that has gotten heavier outside. The air felt purer and refreshing almost instantly, cleansed. Jaebum huffed in favor of his effort, slowly leaning back to his own seat.

"You know," and of course, Jinyoung had to say something weird after a moment too long of silence. "You smell really good."

 Jaebum frowned. He indeed has felt a faint, ghostly gust of breath tickle down his neck while leaned over Jinyoung, but he hasn't imagined that it was because the guy had to likely breathe him in while in their positions. An ashamed blush threatened to hit the top of his ears and flush all the way down his neck now, and he really convinced himself that it was just about shame and humiliation then, but before he could strain the thought further, Jinyoung added, "For someone who doesn't shower."

 Oh. So that’s about it again. Jaebum puffed his chest only to release it in an almost painfully heavy sigh. He glared at Jinyoung and then returned to his previous position, slouched on his seat, crossing both arms in front of his chest. Just that this time, it looked more like he was a kid sulking because they didn’t get the candy they wanted than a grown-ass man relaxing in his car.

 Jinyoung, on the contrary, looked gleefully satisfied with himself.

 Since Jaebum hasn’t graced him with a proper reaction, Jinyoung kept touching everything he could reach from his seat. Exploring, even though Jaebum didn’t really think there’s much to explore there. He just couldn’t understand why they weren’t speaking about the fucking great elephant in the room yet, what really, would be the common sense for anyone in their given situation.

 Not for them, he supposed. Because Jinyoung kept curiously rummaging the glovebox and console organizer, and Jaebum kept letting him.

 It wasn’t until after Jinyoung had finally spotted the small rectangular lighter with tribal artwork sitting somewhere between those two that he stopped messing things around. He took it in his hands, gingerly, and turned it around his fingers for one moment or two.

 Maybe Jaebum had been paying too much attention to Jinyoung’s expression then, or maybe it had just blossomed in such an honest and open way that it was hard for anyone with a pair of eyes to ignore it. Either way, he witnessed the exact moment sleek merriment crossed those gentle features, sickeningly sweet and poisonous as ii washed his face like something slick.

 And it’s exactly when he read those words off the engraving on his lighter.

“ _Flick me_ ,” he read out loud. The way the words rolled off his tongue in fluent English added to the tiny smack of his lips as he finished the last word stirred something in Jaebum. “Interesting choice of words, Jaebum-ssi. It literally means you want to be propelled with a sudden sharp movement, especially of fingers. I wonder which one you’re implying.”

“It’s a gift.” Jaebum barked, almost through his teeth. He got what Jinyoung wanted to say, understood the dirty meaning behind it. And just like that time at Rodeo Street, when he’d blurted he and Jackson fucked, Jaebum didn’t know how he was supposed to react.

 And his automatic, unthought reaction certainly has been the wrong one since it made Jinyoung chuckle, entertained and teasingly unconvinced. With a lazy smile out, he hummed. “Of course it was.”

“What are you doing here?” Jaebum finally asked, having had enough of that. He suddenly craved for another cigarette, having undergone such stress in such small time.

 The sound Jinyoung made beside him distracted his mind from his cravings, and he unwillingly looked over as the smartass needled, “I’m pretty sure I should be the one asking you that, sir.”

 Jaebum tried to keep his expression neutral as he huffed a humorless laugh and turned to watch the raindrops pelting the windshield. The pull on the side of his jaw, however, told him he was grinding his teeth with such force that the muscles around there were almost cramping. He tried to buy time by turning on the windshield wipers and watching it lazily sweep across the glass.

 Crap, he knew something wasn’t right with the way Jinyoung behaved, but he didn’t want to acknowledge that it most likely meant his cover had been blown and the other was playing him again. Well. There wasn’t how to deny it now, either. He should’ve realized that Jinyoung had seen right through him since the first moment.

 Jinyoung knew Jaebum wasn’t what he’s told him he was, probably also knew he’s been following him around for the past weeks hence the witty comments he kept throwing around. Have all those escapades from the last two weeks, Jaebum mused now, been made especially for him? Jinyoung knew he’d be following him, so was he really playing the cat-and-mouse game with him all along? Jaebum didn’t think it was all that unlikely, considering it was Park Jinyoung he was talking about.

 Suddenly, he felt like grinning. Jinyoung indeed was interesting, in some wicked, annoying way.

 Still, he tried to save face by biting back, “I live around here. Can’t I go out to smoke in my car when I feel like to?”

 And at this, surprisingly, Jinyoung whined. “Ah, nooo, let’s not do this. It’s not fun anymore.” Jaebum turned around in time to see him throwing his head back against the headrest and pouting, looking as young and spoiled as Jaebum has ever pegged him for.

 The shadows the street lights threw on Jinyoung’s face with the windshield wiper sweeping left and right, left and right, made him look almost unreal in some way Jaebum didn’t have the words to describe. For one second, and Jaebum would admit only that much, he thought about how beautiful Jinyoung was. Even there, inside his crap of a car, and dimly illuminated by those flimsy lights of the nearby lampposts. He was so effortless pretty.

 Jaebum cleared his throat. Those kinds of thoughts weren’t going to take him nowhere with that case, much less when he was at the verge of being exposed for the second time. “What are you talking about?”

“I’m not dumb, Jaebum-ssi. Don’t treat me like I am.” Jinyoung sighed, sounding bored. “We both know that you suck at being inconspicuous, and there’s no way you don’t know that I know what you’re doing here, parked right across my house. This has been obvious for quite a while, really.”

 Has it? Jaebum felt kinda stupid.

“Jinyoung-ssi, listen,” he tried again, this time being directly stopped amidst another bluff by Jinyoung’s hand waving dismissively in front of his face.

“You can be an investigator, considering the high-quality camera I just saw in the glovebox.” He paused, purposely waiting for Jaebum to catch up where he’s let it clear how he wasn’t rummaging everything in his car all that innocently before. “Or just a creep who would rather spend money on a camera than on his own appearance and his car maintenance. I don’t care.”

 Jaebum bit on his lip, the feeling that he was being scolded overwhelming and heavy where it sat on the line of his shoulders, making them slump in defeat. Generally, he wouldn’t let it get to him—hell, he didn’t even give Mark the chance to speak to him like that and the guy’s been his best friend for more time than he can remember. But Jinyoung… he naturally had this side on him, this intrusive trait that stood out among the rest, one that broke down any barrier and filtered in like a disease. It was scaring.

“What I want to know, Im Jaebum, is why you’re doing this. Because I know nothing’s gone missing in my home, and you’re not spying on me only for a burglar case.” The wit and astute edge of Jinyoung’s almond eyes got enhanced by the sudden flickering of the light that directly illumined them. Jaebum felt unable to look away. “What did Choi hire you for?”

 When Jaebum was a kid, he used to believe snakes had this superpower where they’d hypnotize their preys, so they could feed off them afterwards. It’s only after one night at his aunt’s home, as he drifted into his teenage years, that she explained to him how that was actually untrue.

 Instead of the snakes hypnotizing their preys, it’s their preys the ones to freeze out of fear. And in the wild, many predators react to movement, so if one abruptly goes rigid there’s a chance that the snake that they just spotted won’t notice them, or simply spare them somehow. Jaebum was aware of that myth.

 However, as Jinyoung stared right at him from the passenger seat, he found himself comparing the two of them to those sly snakes and their preys, doubting the extension of their actual power. Because that gaze was so strong and defiant, Jaebum felt as if he’s being called to a fight. Challenged to speak, and to be honest while in it, because Jinyoung’s expression was still so open. He was defying Jaebum to trust him.

 And without thinking much about it, momentarily lost in whatever they were experiencing in there, he heard his voice whispering back, “I’m protecting you.”

 Just like it had begun, so unexpectedly and intensely, under the spell of Jinyoung’s hypnotizing gaze, it also ended with the automatic shift in his demeanor as he abruptly closed off. Like a _click_ , Jaebum blinked and the trance was gone. His eyebrows slowly met in the middle of his forehead, wrinkling it into a frown as he saw the hard lines that now disfigured Jinyoung’s once soft features.

 Jaebum has never seen that look on Jinyoung before—that pained, angered one. The thought that he was indeed a great actor crossed his mind, but his fair amount of good sense forced it out as if it was disgustingly inconsiderate. Maybe it was. Jaebum wasn’t sure. But the suffering edge that clung to Jinyoung’s very presence now was motive enough for him to think twice about it.

 Despite that reaction, he was still expecting Jinyoung to answer him with agitated statements of ‘from what?’ and ‘what for?’. He certainly wasn’t hoping for the outraged, borderline cold, “I don’t need it. I can take care of myself.”

“Yeah?” Jaebum huffed, the prickling of annoyance he felt spreading underneath his skin unwarranted. Why was Jinyoung being like that? Shouldn’t he be happy, or at least feel flattered that someone was protecting him? He couldn’t tell if he was growing frustrated at either Jinyoung or himself now. “How so? Fronting strangers on crossroads?”

 Jinyoung sounded just as annoyed as he spit back, “It worked just fine with you, didn’t it?”

 Jaebum opened his mouth to retort, only to come away emptyhanded and snap it shut again. If only to occupy himself and release his frustration at something, he held onto the steering wheel with one hand while the other aggressively turned the windshield wiper off. The sound of the rain hitting the whole body of the car reverberated in their ten seconds of loaded silence, and even that seemed angry as it thudded mercilessly against the roof.

“You don’t even know what the protection is for.” Jaebum grumbled eventually, stubborn and unwilling to let Jinyoung have the last word in an argument he wasn’t even sure of why was happening.

 He could hear Jinyoung’s frustrated intake of breath over the thundering of rain above them.

“Don’t I?” Jinyoung barked a deriding, short-lived laughter. It sounded humorless and dry, just like everything about him right in that moment. “You don’t know me, don’t make assumptions about what I do and do not know, sir.”

“I can guarantee you, Jinyoung-ssi, if there’s one thing I don’t want to do, is getting to know you.”

 It’d sounded like a poorly told and horribly unconvincing lie to his ears, but maybe that’s due to the fact that he knew it was one, because the expression on Jinyoung’s face now showed how he believed in every word. Jaebum pursed his lips. Although the visible strain in the line of Jinyoung’s shoulders left him curiously sick in the stomach, Jaebum wouldn’t go back with what he had said. Only because he never did.

 It didn’t mean he would be feeling less like an asshole after saying it, though.

“How nice of you to make it clear, thank you.” Jinyoung’s voice sounded petulant as always, however steely and deprived of any emotion other than his strong hatred. “So how about you stop following me around, since you’re so averse to my being?”

 Jaebum rolled his eyes, albeit positive the other could hardly see it given how the lack of good lighting affected the ambient. The streetlamp that provided them the best source of brightness had flickered off somewhere along their quarrel, probably damaged by the rain. It didn’t matter all that much, anyway. Jaebum didn’t want to see that betrayed, disappointed and enraged expression on Jinyoung’s face all that clearly.

 Trying to steel his voice as well, he grounded, “It’s not you who decide this. And I’m being paid for this, so I’ll keep up with the job.”

 There’s an indignant huff, a small grumble of something he couldn’t really make out what, and the familiar click of a door snapping open then. Jaebum looked over, caught off guard, and then helplessly watched as Jinyoung stepped out of the car and into the now heavy downpour again. A tight frown still drew his thick eyebrows together. Jinyoung was leaving.

 And it must’ve had something in Jaebum’s countenance right then, as he watched the other step on the curb, because when Jinyoung leaned down to give him one last hard look, he hesitated. The dog down the street started barking once again, probably having heard the commotion up the block, all so unusual for such a rainy night. They didn’t pay it no mind.

“Stop following me, stop meddling in my life. Otherwise, I’ll call the police.” Jinyoung said finally, firmly, and the door shut close with a loud thud before Jaebum could say anything else, or anything at all.

 The rumble of raindrops pounding the roof of his Honda sounded almost deafening as Jaebum was left to hear them alone, but the ringing on his ears still overpowered all other noise. His eyes scanned the street through rain-sprinkled windows. It wasn’t until after Jinyoung had crossed the street and stomped his way back into his house that Jaebum allowed his body to slump against the seat again. He felt nauseated, and there was this burning sensation covering both his back and belly that left him restlessly sick now.

 Jaebum groaned, punched the side of the steering wheel with the heel of one hand. He’d screwed everything up this time. And try as he might, he couldn’t convince himself that he was talking about the case right then.

 


	6. Six

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i'm honestly so sorry for always taking so long to update guys i'm the worst :( i hope yall haven't given up on this story yet  
> a big thank you for all the lovely comments so far!!! they make me the happiest and yall are so cute ugh i love yall T^T and yes i'm feeling better now~ thank you for all the best wishes! ❤️

 

 Staccato rain on the terrace. Jaebum was up there again.

 His bare feet dragged over the low wall, hands buried deep into the pockets of his dress pants again. The navy blue sky was dim with streaks of purple and magenta peeking in between gray clouds like another fresh bruise. The water pelting his body still felt hot as fresh blood. Wine spilling from a glass. Drip, drip, drip. Blood gushing out of a wound. Again.

 Something felt different, nevertheless. Not just off, like it usually did in that scenario. Different. As if something that didn’t belong there insisted in shimmying its way inside even so, carved deep into his subconscious. The cold sweat that soaked his back alongside the heavy rain pouring down from above made him shiver.

 He knew what was going to happen already. He'd stop wandering around the low wall and would look at the back door. High heels would click on the tiles, echoing from the inside. The doorknob would turn and then the door would clunk open. She’d be there again, greeting him with a smile that would leave him nauseous and queasy for the rest of the week. He knew all of this.

 However, just as he’d sensed something was different this time, the things he expected to happen didn’t quite went down accordingly. Because when the back door screeched open, a stray thunderbolt snapping in the sky somewhere far away behind him, it wasn’t Bae Eunjeong the one to knock his breath out with one crypted smile. And Jaebum didn’t really know how to react to Jinyoung’s lopsided one.

 The next second he realized that he didn’t even have to, since the other didn’t seem like he was actually expecting some reaction out of him. Jinyoung, in fact, looked as surprised as he did by meeting him there. Pleasantly so.

 There wasn’t scarlet rain painting his world carmine red now. It remained as translucid as it’s ever been, making pretty halos around the lampposts spreading about the misted-up street down there. Jaebum didn’t feel like he was getting choked on guilt anymore. But it still was so out of place, Jinyoung standing there. With him.

 Jinyoung looked exactly like he did the day they first met. Ripped jeans, leather jacket, and dark shoes. His hair, however, was like the day they last met. Clinging to his forehead, a damp disarray of dark brown strands. The lollipop pushing against the inside of one cheek reminded Jaebum of the one he sucked noisily while giving him the wrong instructions in the crossroad. The wicked smirk that blossomed around the stick was one Jaebum has never been before.

“Well, well, aren’t we enjoying the good weather!” It’s the first thing Jinyoung exclaimed as he also stepped into the rain, approaching Jaebum on the low wall. His behavior was the sassy one of what already felt like a long time ago, but the expression on his face was the one he’s seen recently. Closed off, irritatingly unsettling.

 Jaebum pursed his lips, his feet sliding over the slippery tiles beneath him. This time though, he wasn’t stepping back. He’s stepping forward, towards Jinyoung. He loosened the knot of his tie, a gesture he idly remembered from the usual setting of those weird dreams, though he wasn’t wearing the expensive watch that always hugged his bone then.

 His umber eyes focused on the empty spot around his wrist, ignoring the faint scars he saw peeking from under his sleeve. The chapped skin was still lighter than the rest, although not that tender as it used to be. It felt like a memory now, an almost fading one. Though it still weighed heavy on the inside.

 When he looked at Jinyoung again, it’s with dread coiling on his stomach at the scene he got to witness. The guy raised his head towards the rain, opened his mouth to get a taste of it, just like Eunjeong would do in his dreams. For some reason, he felt the sting of tears swelling behind his eyes sockets.

“I’m sorry.” He heard the words choking past his moist lips like they always did, unbidden. It’s out of place, too, for him to be saying those words to Jinyoung now. There wasn’t anything he should be apologizing for, not to him. Though it felt relieving in some way, when those words made Jinyoung lower his head again and smile softly, contently.

 Jinyoung walked the rest of the way towards him, stopping by the low wall and tipping his head back to look up at him. Jaebum sucked in a breath. Carefully, Jinyoung reached for his hand, fingertips grazing along the wetness of his own as he intertwined them together.

 Jaebum resisted just weakly when feeling a flimsy tug on it, eventually letting Jinyoung pull him down from the edge of the building and back to the flat patio of the terrace. That must’ve been the first time his bare feet touched anything other than those slippery tiles of the low wall. It felt weird, although reassuring. He turned around to cast a wary glance at Jinyoung, who still held his hand as carefully as before.

 Once again, he got stricken by the thought that Jinyoung was unfairly good-looking. Hell, he was infuriatingly beautiful, even with water dripping down every gentle line of his soft-edged face. His hair sincerely looked like a wet mop on top of his head, and his clothes got so drenched by the rain that they looked disgusting and uncomfortable. The lollipop between his plush lips kind of complemented the whole look in some way it didn’t before, the first time Jaebum’s seen it. Again, something seemed different. But there’s always something about him that made everything look enthralling. Jaebum hated it.

“Stop following me around.” Jinyoung suddenly grounded, tone imposing and firm in contrast to his warm eyes, and flashes from their fight in his car came flooding his mind. Jaebum grew restless and slight panicked again, a suffocating feeling in his chest as he tried to pull his hand away from Jinyoung’s hold.

 That couldn’t happen, he couldn’t give up on that case just yet. For all they knew, Jinyoung could still be under some stage of danger they haven’t discovered anything about for the moment. It’s frustrating, how the stubborn kid didn’t seem to understand it, much less allow Jaebum to explain why he needed protection. If only Jinyoung listened to him, they could get into an agreement about that whole issue.

 He opened his mouth, ready to argue back and continue that argument from where they left off, but the slick press of the lollipop right over his parted lips brought him to a halt. In a haze, he realized how Jinyoung had slipped the candy out his own mouth and put it against his, the absurdly sweet grin he offered him afterwards being equally as amusing. Jaebum didn’t dare to peek his tongue out and get a tiny taste of it, but the thought stuck to his mind just as the saccharine ball of melted sugar did to his lips.

 And the feeling lingered even as Jinyoung glided it down across them, so slowly he felt his guts knotting together. He frowned, mouth still slight agape, feeling raindrops chase after the weigh of the lollipop leaving the moist flesh. Jinyoung raised his other hand to Jaebum’s face, and the last thing he saw before wet fingers covered his sight was the way the lollipop now slipped back between those rosebud lips.

 Darkness enveloped him, and he panted, heart rising to his throat for how hard it’s beating inside his chest. The thundering of rain turned more constant around him, although it sounded more distant with the passing of seconds. Jaebum focused on it for a moment, until he felt warm breath puffing against his lips as Jinyoung whispered, the teasing evident in his nearly whining voice, “Walk beside me instead.”

 

 Jaebum could swear he still felt the light pressing of a hand over his eyes when he woke up.

 He didn’t move though, lying there as if sedated, just stirred out of his sleep as his mind slowly ceased its dream-mode to bring him back to wakefulness. The unmistakable sound of the rain falling thickly outside rumbled in his ears. It hasn’t stopped raining since the night before.

 When Jaebum eventually opened his eyes, it’s to stare groggily at the still slight unfamiliar ceiling of his bedroom. The drawn blinds on the windows right above his bed casted thin slivers of light across the very expanse of it. Jaebum drowsily rolled around to see the rainfall peeping through the curtains hiding the floor-to-ceiling windows, the rustle of sheets mingling with the thudding on the roof.

 Maybe it’s because he’s already had too many of those dreams, but Jaebum didn’t automatically think about it after he’s woken up. Actually, it presented like a way too foggy and uncertain memory to his mind right now, so he’d rather let it for later, that is, if he ever came to remember all the details with clarity thereafter.

 Despite this, he did have conscious that it’d been an unusual kind of one. The sweat that soaked his sleepshirt told him that much. Though the trembling and dull ache on his chest that more than often trailed after his anxiety attacks hasn’t made it to today’s party, and that left him wondering why. Not that it’s something bad, no. Just. Different.

 And even though he tried to deny it in favor of keeping his mind from going astray, he did remember Jinyoung being in the dream instead of Eunjeong this time. Jinyoung, in his leather jacket and ripped jeans, smirking around the stick of his lollipop.

 Jaebum didn’t want to overthink his presence in there and go overboard with what the hell did that actually mean, so he quietly watched the downpour creating shadows on the thin material of the curtain.

 It’s inevitable, however, how his argument with Jinyoung kept replaying inside his head for the rest of the time he stood nestled under the blankets. The expression on his face when Jaebum barked, snapped, and bit back at him, saying the last thing he wanted was to get to know him. He grimaced at the memory now.

 He shouldn’t be feeling that guilty. Jinyoung was his target, hell, he not even was his client; there’s no need for him to be feeling that bad, just like he would after just unlashing those harsh words and pent-up frustration on a friend. He shouldn’t dramatize everything. Jaebum buried himself deeper in the blankets. Jinyoung wasn’t his friend.

 But he did have a problem now that Jinyoung came to know about his true intentions in that side of the city. The money he’d be getting with that case was just so good to be lost like that. And then there’s Jaebum’s conscious trying to stand up for Jinyoung, chastising him for indirectly using the kid as a ladder to his financial boost, not even taking into consideration his pitiful situation of grieving a parent. He felt like a heartless jerk. But then again, wasn’t that his job? Jinyoung wasn’t his friend. He shouldn’t care at all.

 Jaebum should keep himself focused on the goal. Collect information on Jinyoung’s whereabouts and pass them forward to his client; that and keep running a side investigation on what the fuck happened to Jinyoung’s dad and whether it’s been criminal or not. Both would still take him some time to complete, so he should start thinking of how he was going to keep up with his surveillance now that his target knew about it and was more alert than ever.

 Jaebum just needed another week. Seven days. And then, after receiving the results of Mr. Park’s extraofficial autopsy from Jaemin and making sure nothing happened to Jinyoung at the social gathering, he was done. He might as well throw cautious to the wind now that his cover has been blown and confront his target upfront, instead of keeping on circling him like a dog did to a tree it wanted to pee at. Jaebum made a face. That comparison sounded wrong. But the train of thought was right. He needed another route as to approach Jinyoung again without having the guy calling the police on him.

 Damn. That case was starting to give him a headache. Or maybe it’s the weird angle he’s got his head resting on, right above the slope the mattress created when paired up with his pillow. One way or another, it’s uncomfortable. Jaebum sighed heavily before kicking the blankets off himself and sitting up. It’s Monday again. He should get up and going if he wanted to put his new plan in practice.

 

 Basically, his new plan consisted of keeping following Jinyoung around, just that this time, he wouldn’t be hiding in the shadows. Or hiding at all.

 Was that a stupid plan? Probably. Were the chances of Jinyoung really calling the police on him higher in that scenario? Most likely. Was Jaebum still going to do it only to annoy the shit out of Jinyoung? Yes.

 Jaebum wasn’t that idiot, though. Deep inside he knew he was only cogitating doing such unprofessional and outright dumb thing because he knew Mr. Choi would find a way to back him up in case Jinyoung called the authorities. It didn’t seem like a serious case at all, that one they were all involved. And Jaebum certainly wasn’t treating it as such.

 At least not until knowing the results of Jinyoung’s father autopsy. Which were taking Jaemin forever to send his way. Jaebum made a mental note to try calling him again later. All that silence was starting to get on his skin for some reason. Maybe he’s actually treating that case with a tiny bit of seriousness, after all.

 When Jaebum reached the gates of Parks’ property, the downpour had ceased considerably. A light drizzle took its place at pelting the top of his umbrella now. The intrinsic earthy smell of wet land that blew against his face along the crisp wind got him feeling kind of nostalgic. About what, he wouldn’t know. It wasn’t a very much pleasant feeling nonetheless.

 Jaebum hesitated at pressing the intercom, forefinger hovering uncertainly over the button. The times he’d dropped by before, he’d called his client to wait for him by the gates, so using the intercom system has never been a problem, or even an issue at that.

 But, those times, he wasn’t showing up unannounced to pester his target just because he was uncomfortable with the way things had ended the night before. And using the intercom was something close to a must now. Jaebum made a face. His forefinger tried to twitch into action a couple of times more before he groaned and dropped his hand and head altogether.

“You know, they have cameras in here.” Jackson’s voice suddenly rang from somewhere behind him, and Jaebum almost climbed up the gates in a knee-jerk movement from the scare. His heart thudded so loudly against his chest he was afraid it would outsound the pitter-patter of the rain around them.

 Jaebum turned around to fix Jackson with a glare. Unwillingly, his hard look softened as soon as he saw the blond guy grinning brightly back at him. He looked away, frowning at the intercom instead. “Of course they do.” He mumbled, just now noticing the small red light blinking right above an equally small pair of camera lenses built into the low wall sideway. Jaebum didn’t even try to scold himself for not spotting those earlier. His credibility as a private investigator was as low as his confidence in that case by now.

“It doesn’t work, tho.” The squelching sound of Jackson’s sneakers on the wet asphalt got louder as he approached. “Not anymore. It worked just fine a month ago, but then Choi said it’s malfunctioning and disconnected the wires. It just has the blinking light on so passersby will think twice before trying anything stupid.”

 Jaebum thought it made sense Mr. Choi would turn the system off right about the time he got there to work on the case, but he couldn’t help pursing his lips at the lack of security. What if something happened in the days he wasn’t doing surveillance? The thought stung. The nostalgic feel was back; no less uncomfortable, but understandable enough to leave his stomach upset. Ugh, he hated this. He couldn’t wait for this whole story to be over just so he could go back home and isolate himself for an entire year.

“I don’t think Jinyoungie would want to see you even if he knew you’re here, anyway.” Jackson went on, taking Jaebum’s silence as permission to keep on blabbering. People should really stop doing that.

“Why’s that?” Their umbrellas knocked as Jackson got even closer to give him a look. It was an annoying mixture of mockery and way too much sassiness. Jaebum snapped his jaw to the side and looked away again. He should’ve known Jinyoung’s _best friend_ would know at least something about what happened.

“If he did, he’d have called me so we could wander around aimlessly just to make a fool out of you, always following us up and down thinking neither of us is aware.”

 Jaebum stiffened. Again, he shouldn’t be surprised by that revelation, and after the episode they’d last night, he honestly wasn’t, but. The look Jackson was giving him… it told him more than his words did. Jinyoung would go out with his friend just so they could get followed by Jaebum. It truly was like a game, and it always has been. Jaebum wasn’t quite sure why realizing that left him with a giddy feeling in his guts, but it felt better than the embarrassment he’s felt after learning he’s been played all along. The idea seemed to sit well—better—with him now for some reason.

 Maybe that’s because he slept through the uneasiness from their fight the night before. Or because he now had these foggy, likely unreal but undeniably soothing memories of Jinyoung taking his hand and pulling him away from the edge of a high building as they got soaked by the rain.

 But he didn’t want to think about that right now. He frowned at Jackson, guarded, and felt like punching the guy in the nose when he started to smirk at his reaction. Maybe realization was dawning on him too.

“C’mon, hyung. Let’s go somewhere _drier_.” Jackson said with a soft chuckle, emphasizing his words by tipping his umbrella a little to the side and shaking off some of the gathering water onto the sidewalk. A couple of raindrops spilled against Jaebum’s jeans. Jackson didn’t look apologetic as he flashed one of his friendly smiles and started to walk away.

 Jaebum knew that was a very subtle code for “We need to talk.”, but he still hesitated over what exactly Jackson wanted to talk about with him. It obviously was about Jinyoung. What it actually entailed, however, was something beyond Jaebum’s guessing. In the most probable scenario, it’d end in Jackson advising him to stay away from his friend, so there were high chances of it being just some bro-talk after all. That soothed Jaebum nerves a bit. Maybe it’s better to just go along anyway.

 With one last look at the gates and then at the property itself, imposing and powerful even at a considerable distance, Jaebum tightened his hold on the handle of his own umbrella and followed Jackson across the street.

 

 It turned out Jaebum shouldn’t have followed Jackson. He realized this as soon as he found himself shifting on his seat in an ice-cream parlor, cornered against the wide windows by Jackson’s very own body, pinned down with a very calculating and cold look he honestly didn’t know Jackson was capable of. Jackson had lured him in with ice-cream. Jaebum felt kind of pathetic with his strawberry cone now.

“Now, Im Jaebum,” Jackson started after a long awkward moment of silence. He had two cones, one in each hand, and Jaebum briefly acknowledged how it looked like Jackson was raising his fists to physically fight him. “What are you up to, and how is Jinyoung related?”

 Jaebum eyed how buff Jackson’s arms were where the long-sleeves hugged them all the way to his wrists. It wouldn’t be pretty if Jackson decided he needed to get Jaebum into a headlock to get information out of him. Jaebum should really have kept up with those gym sessions.

 Despite the threat, Jaebum still puffed up his chest and steeled his resolve of not revealing anything before saying, “I don’t have to tell you shit.” The following lick he gave around the rosy cream on his cone may have ebbed some of the desired effect of his menacing posture away, though.

 Jackson hummed all the same. “You don’t have to. But you want to explain at least something.”

 That sounded quite ridiculous, to be honest. Jaebum snorted with so much contempt even himself felt slightly upset hearing the derisive sound leaving him. “What makes you think I do?”

“You wouldn’t have been knocking on Jinyoung’s door on a rainy day with a guilty expression if you didn’t.”

 It felt like getting punched and having the air leaving his lungs in a single cough. Hearing that and knowing it was true, that did. Jaebum opened his mouth to disagree, to say it didn’t make sense at all, but felt it snapping shut on its own once he ran out of excuses. Jackson had hit a point. Apparently, he was way more attentive and perceptive than Jaebum has given him the credits for. Crap. Everyone was proving to be at least five feet ahead of him.

 By this point, Jaebum didn’t even try to hide the pout forming on his lips. He wanted to kick his feet, but that would be too much. If there’s one thing he hated the most, even more than being criticized or told things he already knew, it’s getting read so easily by people. It was annoying how effortlessly they could see right through him after a short while.

 Frowning in dismay, he pointedly looked at the napkins folded on top of the table they shared instead of Jackson’s incredibly sharp gaze. “It wasn’t guilty.”

“You’re right, it looked more like a kicked puppy.”

“It did not!” Jaebum whined, painfully aware of how instead of looking cute—like most people did—he looked way more like a person at the verge of going insane every time he did so. Mark had even told him once that his eyes would bulge a little and his eyebrows would curve in a weird way in those moments. Jaebum avoided whining (or doing anything remotely cute, really) like the plague after that.

 Jackson, on the other hand, seemed to think otherwise if his soft cooing was something to go by. Jaebum glared at him anyway.

 They fell into another silence, and surprisingly enough, this one didn’t feel as constricting and suffocating as the previous one. It almost felt comfortable. Their umbrellas still dripped onto the floor by the parlor’s doorway, but Jaebum could see through the windows how it wasn’t raining outside anymore. He didn’t think the sun would come out and grace them with its presence today, though. A gloomy day, that was indeed.

“I already know you’ve been following Jinyoung around for a while now. He knows that too.” Jackson said, attracting Jaebum’s attention back to him. He was now munching on the waffle cone that once housed a creamy vanilla flavored ice-cream.

 Flashes of the argument he’s had with Jinyoung in his car crossed his mind. Jaebum sniffed. “He sure does.”

“I know you don’t mean any harm--and that’s why I’m asking you what’s going on instead of calling greater forces right away, if you know what I mean.” Jackson paused, and Jaebum did know what he meant. Suddenly everyone wanted to call the cops on him. He supposed they weren’t wrong, though. “The only other option is that you’re following him to make sure he’s safe.”

 Jaebum raised an eyebrow, impressed with how astute and precise Jackson was in his assumptions. If it were him, he’d have assumed it was a creep who was watching Jinyoung’s every move just so he could pounce on him when he was alone and hold him to ransom. It’s admirable that Jackson’s mind favored everyone’s good intentions. He was truly pure and kind-hearted as it seemed.

“Jinyoungie has been wandering around a lot since…” Jackson trailed off, downcast eyes turning mournful as time ticked by, and the rest of his sentence got lost under the buzz of the ice-cream parlor. Jaebum gave him a moment, pretending he was busy licking more of his ice-cream so it wouldn’t drip. When Jackson found his voice again, it was to ask instead, “Did someone ask you to keep an eye on him?”

 There was this part in him that honestly wanted to tell Jackson what was going on, but it was biforked. On one branch, he was afraid of either putting Jackson in danger or having that backfiring on him. On another, he got so comforted by Jackson’s kind eyes and soft words that he just wanted to spill everything.

 At least both parts agreed in one thing: Jinyoung was already aware of the whole truth, and he was the only one who couldn’t ever get word of it, so what could the harm be if Jackson got to know about it too?

 Just as Jaebum got lost in his thoughts, Jackson also lost himself in his own. Jaebum was so quiet, finishing up his ice-cream until he was left to munch the crispy waffle cone, that Jackson couldn’t help watching him. And when it clocked down on five minutes shared without a noise, Jackson sighed. Both his ice-creams were done by then.

“You know, it’s been a while since I last saw him like this.” The blond spoke up, conversationally, picking up a few napkins from the table to wipe the remnants of cream away from his fingers. “Jinyoung, I mean. Ever since we met you on that crossroad and saw right through your act, Jinyoung wouldn’t stop talking about you.”

 Yeah, probably about how shabby his clothes and overall appearance was. Jaebum fought down the deprecating chuckle that wanted to rise at that in favor of letting Jackson finish what he was saying.

“It only worsened when he realized you’re following him for some reason. He’d call me at random hours just to go pick him up, or meet him somewhere, and then he’d make it a game of whether he could fool and escape you altogether. He’d often wear this unbelievably wide and triumphant grin on his face then, so I assume you lost track of him quite a lot of times.”

“Wait, that’s not-” Jaebum tried to protest, feeling embarrassment pinching at the smooth skin of his cheekbones and the top of his ears to paint them pink. It’s true he lost sight of that brat more often than not, but that’s only because Jinyoung was too good in hiding and taking shortcuts.

“Maybe,” Jackson raised his voice, having to repeat himself a few times since Jaebum still tried to defend his honor through complaints and their voices kept overlapping for a moment. “Maybe this little game you two were playing did him good, y’know? Got him distracted. Jinyoung looked almost as cheerful as he’d been before that tragedy!” At this, Jaebum shut up. Jackson sighed again. “That’s why I didn’t question it.”

 Jaebum wiped his hands on his jeans, back and forth over his clothed thighs, looking away and out the windows. Jinyoung slowly dealing better with his grieving shouldn’t be of his concern, but he couldn’t help feeling positively responsible when Jackson spoke like that. A comfortable warmth enveloped his core. He tried to stomp it down, yet almost cracked a genuinely happy smile at the bare thought of Jinyoung grinning after losing him in one of those many streets of Apgujeong.

“It’s good that he’s cheerful again.” He finally commented, trying to sound casual, crossing his right arm over his stomach and the left elbow over the back of his right wrist. Trying to conceal his shyness, he rested his head forward on one hand, knuckles against his lips, covering half of his face.

 The look on Jackson’s face was enough to make the blush on Jaebum’s cheeks deepen, but the words he spilled next won in having a better effect on him. “Well, he was. Now I’m not so sure anymore, since you two broke up already.”

“Broke up?” Jaebum clicked his tongue. “What the hell are you talking about, really. Every time we meet, Jinyoung makes it a point to question my appearance and call me a hobo.”

“That’s not how he calls you every time _we_ meet, tho.” Jackson wiggled his eyebrows, suggestively, and then watched closely the reaction that slowly shifted the muscles on Jaebum’s face.

 Jaebum’s expression of utter shock and disbelief was similar to his whining one, according to Mark. Bulged eyes, weirdly curved eyebrows, looking pathetic. Just an addition of spluttering mouth and it’s done. And by the shriek Jackson came up with after they finally made eye contact, Jaebum was more than certainly doing that stupid face right now.

 Still spluttering and looking as scandalized as he did annoyed, Jaebum scolded, “S-Shut up!”. Jackson threw his head back and went through a powerful laughing fit for a whole minute before sobering up. Jaebum grumbled and cursed throughout the whole time. He really shouldn’t have followed Jackson.

 The teasing moment didn’t last long, however. As soon as they’d quietened down enough to hold a proper conversation again, Jackson turned serious. “What happened, hyung?” He asked, that soothing and incredibly coaxing deep voice back at it. “Did you hurt him?”

“No.” Jaebum thought back on Jinyoung’s sudden change of behavior when he told the kid he was protecting him, and how inexplicably frustrated Jinyoung got at that before closing off entirely. He considered Jackson’s question again. “I don’t know. At least it wasn’t my intention, if I actually did.”

 A beat passed as Jackson nodded in understanding, the sharpness in his eyes giving way to an almost painful compassionate glint. “Why were you on his door earlier, hyung?”

 Jaebum sighed, sounding tired and exasperated both. “I need to explain. And understand. Explain why I’ve been spying on him all this time, and- and understand why he got so mad at having someone wanting to protect him.”

 Jackson looked at him, and this time, that’s all he did. Understanding and patient. Impressively enough, that worked better than any other coaxing he’s tried to do before. Jaebum felt his resolve crumbling, and then again, what could the harm be if Jackson got to know about his real purpose in there too? If he were lucky, he could even get some help out of this new _alliance_. It felt safe to tell Jackson the deets.

 And so he did.

 There hasn’t been a lot of questions made during his enlightening speech about what his job entailed. Jackson would only take everything in, mull it over, ask something that would make Jaebum reveal on further, and then take everything in again. He was a good listener, and his questions were always good and sharp.

_“Mr. Choi hired you to keep an eye on Jinyoung because he’s afraid whoever killed his dad will come after him to get their hands on the heritage?”_

_“But neither of you know for sure if it’s been a real murder or just, y’know, the circle of life?”_

_“Why the hell wouldn’t he want the police to get involved in this? It kinda makes sense, tho. It’d point a neon sign to them for trying to get help right away. That is, of course, if it’s truly been a murder.”_

_“You’ve been following Jinyoung for almost a month now? And you got a heart-to-heart talk that went completely wrong yesterday and now he’s threatening to call the police on you if he ever seen you again?”_

_“You’re not really a professional, are you?”_ Sometimes they were just sharp.

 All in all, Jaebum was shocked to find himself feeling lighter, and even comfortable with sharing so many things with someone that was still pretty much a stranger to him. He hoped to feel just the same after explaining everything to Jinyoung when he got the chance.

“So, you’re only waiting for the results of the autopsy now? To leave him alone, I mean.” It’s the next question Jackson did. They were on their way out the ice-cream parlor. The sky had stopped crying by now, leaving behind a melancholic canvas of gray and cobalt blue only. It probably wouldn’t get sunny tomorrow either.

 Jaebum reached for his umbrella by the doorway. “Yeah, but the case will be closed in a week anyway, after the social gathering. I’m leaving by next Monday.”

“What are you gonna do if the results say something did really happen? If Jinyoungie is actually in danger?”

 They stepped outside. Jaebum couldn’t stop frowning, eyes lost on the pavement, mind actually processing that thought Jackson so unwelcomely put on his head. The chilly wind that scraped the skin of his cheekbones made it feel like a papercut. Of course, he had an answer to that, has already thought of what to do in both scenarios—the news coming away positive or negative.

 The thing was… suddenly imagining Jinyoung in danger. That always brought the most uneasy feeling to the surface, and it burned his throat like bile. Not being there to save someone who he knew was in danger hit too close to home.

 Jinyoung didn’t want protection, though. It should be none of his business.

“Then I’ll tell Mr. Choi about it. Maybe with such confirmation, he’ll prefer to seek the authorities’ help instead of mine, anyway.” Jaebum shrugged, trying to look unbothered.

“Talk to him.” Jackson, obviously, was able to read right through him, though. “Jinyoung can get really mean when he’s hurt, and both his actions and words can really sting sometimes. Try not to get pushed away by that. He can do that a lot, too. Push people away.”

 Jaebum tried not to think about how that reminded him of himself. Well. At least they had something in common. Bad thing it was in their inability of holding long-lasting friendships, relationships, or everything that involved any kind of social interaction.

“Jinyoung barks more than he bites, but when he does bite, it never heals. He hasn’t bit you yet, I can tell.” The smile on Jackson’s lips looked a little somber, but affectionate still. “And he closes off pretty often and pretty easily, so you don’t get to feel special, hyung.”

“Trust me, I wasn’t trying to.” Jaebum chuckled, and although short-lived, it was a sincere one. Jackson brightened his mood with such an ease, always being kind and treating him like he wasn’t a jerk, it’s admirable. Jaebum felt bad for some reason.

 They went in separate ways a little bit after that, with Jackson saying he’d help him in whatever he could and then asking to get briefed on the case as soon as news came up. Jaebum wasn’t sure about that last part, didn’t think it’d be good for Jackson’s own safety if he got to know about everything, but he had the presence of mind to make sure he’d let him know in case Jinyoung needed doubled protection.

 Funny how the words ‘Jinyoung’ and ‘protection’ made his chest kinda hurt now. Jaebum wasn’t laughing anymore, though.

 

 The following morning, Jaebum was back to patrolling the Parks’ property. And so did he for the next two days. There hasn’t been a sign of Jinyoung in the meanwhile, anywhere.

 Jaebum messaged Jackson. They had exchanged numbers during their unexpected meeting on Monday. However, Jackson hasn’t had any news on Jinyoung either, the times he’d tried calling him reaching the voicemail right away. Jaebum thanked him, soothing him when Jackson started to panic and asked if he should be worried, but he couldn’t stop feeling slightly uneased himself.

 On Friday, as Jaebum once again walked down the street towards Jinyoung’s home, this time with his mind set to ring the doorbell and knock on whatever doors he must to speak to the kid, things finally took another turn. Air almost left him entirely when he spotted Jinyoung dawdling in the gardens from right above the low wall. That pathetic steel fence surrounding the property still looked as inefficient as the day he’d first seen it.

 Jaebum walked the rest of the way down and stopped by the gates. There’s a low grinding of metal beneath his palm when he casually pressed one hand against the bars. The well-kept hinges wailed as the gates slid apart. They were open.

 Swallowing past the sudden urge to scold Jinyoung about being so careless in regards of his own safety, Jaebum focused on the sight of him instead. It felt odd to see those slim limbs, wrinkled clothes and messy hair again, bordering on nostalgic, but it didn’t feel bad at all.

 Jaebum felt relieved at seeing Jinyoung alright. And rightfully angry at him for making him worry during those three days they haven’t seen each other. He invited himself in and marched across the gravel path.

 Jinyoung has heard him coming in, but he didn’t acknowledge his presence properly until he was standing right beside him near the fountain. At least he hasn’t tried to run away, Jaebum mused, neither has he called the security on him. Be thankful for the small things, kiddo.

“I warned you I’d call the police if you ever followed me again.” The brunette spoke up eventually, but he didn’t make as if to take action to get Jaebum to leave just yet. That seemed like a good sign.

“I didn’t follow you.” Jaebum refuted. “I was passing by and saw the gates were open, and as a concerned citizen, I stopped by to see if everything’s alright.”

 They both knew Jinyoung hasn’t bought that ridiculous excuse, just as they knew that’s all bullshit, but no further words were exchanged in regards of that matter. Silence dawned upon them as they stood side by side.

 That pair of impressive dark-brown eyes were focused on the ground, sweeping through the grass and scanning the bushes spread about, and the thick eyebrows hanging above them were drawn together in a focused frown. Jinyoung was definitely looking for something. Jaebum distractedly looked around, too.

“What are you searching for?” The undeniable dejavu of watching someone different looking for something in that same yard got him curious enough to ask.

“It’s none of your business, is it?” Jinyoung rejoined. Jaebum could feel how heavy the atmosphere was between them. The gurgling sound of the small fountain nearby made of the ambient tentatively peaceful nonetheless.

 Thinking back on the one time he saw that Jisoo girl retrieving something from the bushes after looking around just like Jinyoung was doing right now, Jaebum hummed, feigning innocence and obliviousness. “Well, whatever it is, I hope it’s not what your chambermaid took from those bushes there a couple of weeks ago. It’d make you look kind of pathetic now.”

 And at this revelation, Jinyoung finally turned around to pay him some attention. It almost felt like suffering a physical harm, having those eyes piercing through him again. Jaebum tried to ignore how devoid of their usual playfulness and amusement they momentarily were.

 Jinyoung pondered on what he’s been told for a moment, and then the crease between his eyebrows softened until his expression got back to a carefully blank one. “Which one?”

“The one that resembles you.” Jaebum disclosed, albeit vaguely. He wasn’t sure whether Jinyoung got told about their similarities often enough as to know about who he was referring to right then. It didn’t stop him from trying, though.

 And by the way Jinyoung’s gaze sparkled with affection, he did know. “It must be Jisoo, then. She’s the prettiest out of them all.”

 Jaebum rolled his eyes, but he couldn’t really deny that insinuation. Jinyoung indeed was pretty. From the very top of his disheveled chocolate brown hair, to the very bottom of his scarred leather boots. Jaebum dared to give him the once-over when Jinyoung got distracted by the water recirculating in the fountain. His gaze swept down and up Jinyoung’s figure, lingering at last on the graceful, upward curve of a lower lip. Truly charming.

 When he raised his eyes to meet Jinyoung’s again, though, the guy was already staring back at him.

 They stared back and forth for a moment that stretched maybe too long. Jaebum suddenly felt bothered with the intensity with which Jinyoung was looking at him, so he scratched the side of his nose and looked away, pretending he’d seen something really interesting on the grass and focusing his stare there. “It seems that you’ve been quite busy for the past few days.”

 Jinyoung, sharp as always, crossed both arms in front of his chest and snorted, seeing where Jaebum was coming from right away. Jaebum’s surely meant that as an indirect question of ‘Where the hell have you been?’, and he felt immensely glad the both of them were on the same page with that. It’d be excruciating and absurdly embarrassing if he had to explain it further whether Jinyoung hasn’t gotten it.

 Tilting his head back and to the side so he could regard Jaebum with his best judgmental look, Jinyoung smacked his lips with mocking relish. “Yeah. Locked in my bedroom listening to Simple Plan and wondering what happened to us.”

“Stop being an ass.” Jaebum grumbled, almost whiningly, momentarily forgetting his manners. They weren’t friends, and they surely weren’t close enough to have that kind of treatment. Jaebum should be polite on the field, especially with someone from a higher scale.

 But then, there wasn’t a reason for him to keep trying to be respectful towards the brat in order not to arouse suspicion on the case since he now knew about everything. The faking has become unneeded. Jaebum could curse and yell and scold all he wanted, without restraint.

 It felt like a huge weight has been taken off his shoulders, and he even dared to feel giddy at the prospect of being his real self with Jinyoung. If he weren’t working on that case anymore and their true personalities matched fine, they could even be friends someday. That would be… nice?

“You’re right.” Jinyoung said, voice enriching with subtle doses of teasing. “It’s actually Evanescence. ‘My Immortal’. I got a tattoo too. A bleeding heart with a knife slicing through it.” His plump lips stretched into a lazy smirk, and Jaebum honest to god thought the guy would start purring at any given moment. Instead, Jinyoung just added, “I can show it to you, but I don’t think it’d be a good idea to take my pants off in the garden.”

“Right, since we could go to your house right there.” Jaebum shot back, nodding towards the main house by the end of the gravel path, holding in a chuckle at the expression Jinyoung did after his witty and unusually flirty remark. It felt thrilling whenever he got Jinyoung that stunned at his antics.

“Huuuu, aren’t we feeling bold today.” Jinyoung mocked, doing a weirdly pitched voice meant to sound denigrating, but that had sounded cute instead, and Jaebum couldn’t help cracking a smile at that. Those eyes followed the movement for a moment, intensely, but Jinyoung’s expression remained mostly blank.

 Jaebum didn’t know how to keep the talk going. None of the subjects he had in mind seemed right, or decent enough for him to try bringing them to the table. There’s a moment where he even considered asking Jinyoung if he liked cats. Jaebum liked cats. He didn’t think that was a good topic to try out, though.

 Eventually, after going through all the adequate and socially acceptable icebreakers he could think of, he settled for bringing about the huge elephant in the room that has been standing between then since he arrived.

 However, before his brain could send the right message to his mouth, it ended up spitting one of the most ridiculous things that have accidentally crossed his mind. And thus, he watched himself asking, dumbly, “No comments on my appearance today?”

 Jinyoung raised one eyebrow at the same time Jaebum mentally kicked himself. Why the hell was he feeling so out of sorts in that brat’s presence now? Probably guilt, his mind supplied. Jaebum forced himself to believe in that.

 Looking him up and down, Jinyoung took a shallow breath before asking back, “Why would I?”.

“You always do.” Jaebum hoped to god he wasn’t pouting as he mumbled that. His voice sure had a bit of whining in it nonetheless.

“I just hope you’ll still have a bit of good sense left and dress accordingly during the social gathering.” Jinyoung rebuked. Seeing the look of surprise and mild confusion on Jaebum’s face at the implication of those words, he scoffed. “You’re coming, aren’t you?”

 Jaebum supposed it wasn’t all that shocking Jinyoung assuming he’d come to such event, especially after him getting the confirmation Jaebum got hired to follow him around and keep an eye on him, but it still surprised him lots. Not even his client had been expecting him to come, even trying to brush it off as unnecessary before Jaebum stood his ground and insisted.

 Maybe that hasty conclusion actually meant Jinyoung has been hoping for Jaebum to show up? If that’s it, shit got definitely shocking now.

 Jaebum cleared his throat. “Yes.”

“I figured as much. Well. If you’ll excuse me.” With this, Jinyoung spun on his feet and started to walk away, on the direction of the main house. The sound of his boots crushing the gravel beneath his feet echoed on Jaebum’s ears. He hated how Jinyoung was always giving him his back and then leaving him behind.

“Jinyoung,” Jaebum called after him on an impulse. Jinyoung stopped, looked back at him. Something inside him ached—something he didn’t know how to explain, neither pinpoint. It just ached, uncomfortably so.

 They haven’t talked about what happened, and Jaebum hasn’t explained himself about the whole ordeal, but as their eyes met again, one stray chill running up his spine at the very sight of Jinyoung, he realized how it wasn’t quite needed. Jinyoung might don’t understand everything, but he seemed to understand enough for now.

 There’s raw resentment masked on his gaze still, Jackson’s words about Jinyoung getting mean when he’s hurt (from their talk a couple of days ago) ringing on Jaebum’s ears like doorbells. They haven’t talked about what happened, but right now wasn’t the right time to do so, either.

 Looking down at the gravels carpeting the floor, Jaebum croaked out instead, “I’m leaving after Monday.”

 There’s almost two minutes of silence, and Jaebum was already starting to wonder whether Jinyoung had already left while he was making a staring contest with the small rocks close to his sneakers, but before he could stretch the thought further, he heard Jinyoung saying, voice grave, “Finally some good news, then.”

 An angry, stomping sound came from where the porch stood thereafter. When Jaebum looked up again, it’s to watch the front door closing with a not very gentle thud. It’d started to drizzle again somewhere along the line.

 Jinyoung has gotten angry at him one more time. The thought that, this time, there’re high chances of it being because he’s leaving, and the kid would perhaps miss him, got Jaebum feeling hopeful and dreadful altogether. Of what, he didn’t know.

 The thought of actually knowing it scared him more than the obliviousness, anyway.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i love how jinyoung and jaebum keep getting closer even tho they insist on denying it and trying to push each other away,,, next chap might be a bit dense tho,, yes i only said that so yall get curious about what will happen ;) (but things will indeed get a bit depressing uhhff)
> 
> Ok quick survey guys what are your thoughts on me opening commissions? let me know in the comments or you can come to my ccat too curiouscat.me/nigajowang :)


	7. Seven

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> what i had written for this chap got too long and there's too much information and drama so i had to split it in half lol  
> good news, the next update is ready and will come up sometime next week :D enjoy  
> (and happy comeback time!!!! that winter story vid got me crying so hard fuck i love them lets support them with all we got)

 

 Perhaps, Monday has come by so quickly and so soon because Jaebum has been dreading it ever since his encounter with Jinyoung on Friday. Perhaps, it did so because, well, Monday wasn’t all that far from Friday anyway. Just one weekend apart. Two days, that have flown by in an agonizingly fast speed.

 And Jaebum has been aware that this Monday would be the hell of a tiring and uncomfortably packed day—has tried to brace himself for it, even. But there’s this Irish proverb that said, “There’s nothing so bad that it couldn’t be worse.”, and Jaebum saw the reason behind it pretty early into that fated day.

 His phone went off by the nightstand, brightening up the whole room. The round, dark-green rimmed clock Jaebum has hung on the wall opposite to his bed took a while to come into focus when he drowsily glanced at it. The hour hand pointed somewhere between four and five, and the minute one inched close to seven. It couldn’t be much later than 4:30AM. Jaebum groaned and reached blindly for his phone.

 An unknown number glared at him as he squinted against the brightness of the screen. Too tired and annoyed at being woken up to think better of the situation and thus let whomever was calling him go to voicemail, Jaebum swiped his thumb across the green button and answered the call with a grunt. The phone went to rest limply against his one ear that wasn’t squished against the pillow afterwards.

 _“Jaebum,"_ the weak, slight panicked croak coming from the other end surely got Jaebum feeling more awake. His eyes snapped open to stare at the darkness his bedroom got immersed in once again. _“Shit. Jaebum, are you there?”_

 Even though hushed, Jaemin’s voice was unmistakable. Jaebum slowly sat up, phone now gripped tightly against the side of his face. It kind of hurt from how fast his stomach dropped after hearing that almost scared tone on the line. Flashes from that night nearly three years ago came flooding his mind, each memory working like pins and needles on his skin. Jaebum felt like either throwing up or darting across the room aimlessly. He broke into a cold sweat instead.

“Hyung?” He asked, wanting to cry at how thin and pathetically afraid his voice had sounded in contrast with the powerful thudding of his heart, incessantly filling his ears at every intake of breath. He felt his throat closing.

 _“Jaebum, I’m sorry,”_ Jaemin uttered, and besides the apprehension from before, now his voice came coated in worry with tinges of remorse. Jaebum winced. _“I’m so sorry, I know this must be making your skin crawls, but- this is the only time I got to talk to you.”_

 Jaebum could hear someone else speaking in the line, too, someone telling him to rush to the main room because something horrible had happened to Miss Eunjeong, but he was sane enough to know that that was just an echo from the past. In the present, there’s only Jaemin, whisper-yelling on the other end. He tried his best to keep himself in check.

 Taking a long, deep breath in a failed attempt to calm down his nerves, Jaebum panted, “What happened? Where’ve you been, hyung? It’s been quite some time since your last message. Are you,” his voice faltered, “are you alright?”

 _“I’m. Yeah, I’m fine. For the moment, I mean. I guess?”_ Jaemin made a short pause, and then sighed heavily, resuming, _“Jaebum, something isn’t right. There’s something really fucked up in that shit you asked me to search up for you.”_

 Jaebum’s right hand trembled where it gripped the sheets beside his thigh. His fingers held the cloth with such force the knuckles were turning worryingly white. It’s pretty much relieving when Jaemin started to talk again, because he didn’t think he’d be able to say anything right now. Might just listen for a moment.

_“When I got the permission to access the files, I did my research on the unaltered results first and foremost. Everything pretty much matched the information divulged to the public, but then there’s this one information that had been omitted, and that got me intrigued. At first, I’d thought it wasn’t anything alarming since it really stated ‘ischaemic heart failure’ there, and no coroner would write a fake cause of death in those extraofficial papers even after getting paid to change the results. I was only carrying on with my ‘investigation’ out of sheer curiosity by then._

_“As I dug in further, I found out that the mysterious information was about your man’s blood test. Apparently, there were high levels of potassium in his blood, but he didn’t have any of the diseases that could cause it. I found it weird, but then again, brushed it off because I just assumed it was a mistake. However, right after I sent you that text, some weird things started to happen.”_

 Jaemin’s hushed voice was starting to have such a hysteric and outright frustrated lilt to it that Jaebum found himself growing kind of restless too. The dreadful anticipation for what Jaemin would be telling him next made him feel a little faint.

_“I got hacked on the site, and all my access to whatever information in it got denied right away, even the ones from my own cases back when I was only an assistant. I started getting crypted emails, most of them telling me to back off. I had to get rid of my phone because I had this feeling it’s been hacked as well. I tried to hack whomever this fucker is back, but you know I’m just an aspiring hacker, I can’t do much. This is a disposable phone, by the way. But I gotta use it quick because I don’t know how long it takes for them to track this one down too. Fuck, I don’t even know who they are, Jaebum, I might be getting a little bit paranoid in here.”_

 Guilt, raw and familiar, skirted its hands around his tightening chest. It’s all his fault, all his fault, all over again. He was the one who dragged Jaemin into this, and now the man was even getting threatened and felt constantly unsafe. Jaebum heard himself sob—but it was painfully dry, more like a gut-wrenching gasp in the middle of another deep breath than an actual cry. He wasn’t crying. It’s been a while since he last did so.

 Jaebum scurried out of bed to pace around the room, knocking his legs on various pieces of furniture in his haste to flee. It’s only when he nearly split one knee open on the corner of the cabinet placed by the end of the bed that he stopped on his tracks. “Fuck, Jaemin. I didn’t imagine- I’m so sorry for getting you into this. I honestly had no idea. Are you safe? Did they try to harm you in any other way? Fuck. I’m truly so sorry.”

 _“I’m safe, I’m safe. I’m staying at my friend’s house just in case. You don’t have to worry about me, okay?”_ Jaemin sounded more concerned than actually freaking out now. Jaebum knew it was because the older was worrying about him more than about himself now. It didn’t sit well with his stomach. _“Since I’m not snooping on your man’s information anymore, and have backed the fuck off already, I think they’ll eventually leave me alone. I’m more worried about you, dude.”_ There it is. _“What the hell have you gotten yourself into now?”_

 Jaebum considered lying and changing the subject as usual, but he felt way too tired to make up excuses now. Sighing, he confessed, “I don’t really know, hyung. I don’t know. The things you just told me… they explain a lot, but also let quite a few spots blank.” His brain was still trying to process the information he’s gotten from Jaemin while the rest of him fought the wave of nausea that always accompanied his anxiety attacks and PTSD crisis. It sucked. “You said what was high on his blood test, again?”

 _“The levels of potassium.”_ Jaemin repeated. _“Potassium is needed for several functions of the body—especially the beating of the heart—but too much or too little of it can be quite dangerous. Potassium chloride is used to treat low blood levels, but it can be lethal if given to cases of high blood levels.”_

 Jaebum hummed, letting his brain soak in the information even though it still wasn’t properly processing it. _Potassium chloride._ He had a faint memory of having seen this name somewhere lately. It made the hair on his nape stand on end. “Is there a chance…” he gulped, neurons slowly kicking back into gear. “Is there a chance of a healthy man being given too much potassium chloride and dying from, like, a heart attack?”

 The implications have seemed to dawn on Jaemin as soon as they left Jaebum’s mouth. His tone, when it reverberated across the line, was serious and a bit spooked. _“Fuck, Jaebum. What’s going on?”_

 So that’s a ‘Yes’. Jaebum instantly thought of Jinyoung. The dull sensation of something physically pressing over his chest deepened, alongside his apprehension. “I was hired to keep an eye on someone under the suspicion of their father—the man whose autopsy I asked you to search up—having gotten murdered, and now… you just kinda confirmed it. He most likely was poisoned, right? Or whatever is the word we use in this kinda case.”

 _“You must be careful.”_ Jaemin pleaded, borderline desperate. Jaebum noticed how his friend deliberately left his question unanswered. Another confirmation, then. _“Damn, don’t get yourself in this shit again. It’s dangerous. Please, be safe.”_

“You too, hyung. I’m sorry I got you involved.” There’s this gravity to his voice that left no room for discussion. “But I have a commitment with this, and knowing what I know now, it only strengthened my resolve. I’ll be careful. I’ll take care. But I’ll carry this on.”

 They spent a moment in silence, and then Jaemin relented, _“It’s your choice. I’ll help you with what I can-”_

“No. No, hyung, you already did enough. I don’t want to… I don’t wanna be responsible if something happens to you, too.”

  Jaemin seemed like he had something else to say, maybe protest a little bit more, but after those last words, no further answer came. They both knew the weight of what has been said. None of them wanted to bring that issue back to the table right now. Silently, they decided to move on.

 _“What are you gonna do now, then?”_ Jaemin asked, a few seconds later. His voice sounded less panicked now, but it still seemed like he was whispering into the line, as if hidden somewhere.

 Jaebum took a shaky breath. “I’ll talk with my client, try to convince him to call the police. Take them out of that house, and move them to somewhere safe. I don’t know. My job is supposedly done after today, since no one has tried to attack the person I’m keeping an eye on, but I have to discuss it further with them now.”

_“Try not getting too involved in this. You already did your part, didn’t you? Stop playing detective now, and, for god’s sake, stop being their bodyguard. Inform the authorities of this new piece on your man’s autopsy, and leave it to them.”_

 Jaebum shuffled socked feet over the floor until his legs were standing by the side of the mattress again, and then sat down heavily. What Jaemin said made sense, he should step out of that situation and leave it to who really had power, and was in condition to do something. His hands were shaking considerably less when he palmed them on his thighs. Jinyoung’s face kept appearing behind his eyelids every time he closed them. A drop of sweat slid down his forehead, skirting across his temples and cheeks, and then it dripped from his chin onto the back of his knuckles. Fuck, he couldn’t just leave it.

 _“Jaebum?”_ There it was that concerned tone again, seeping into the dark cloud of thoughts that has been made around Jaebum’s mind. That was unnerving and highly disturbing, that whole situation. Jaebum wished he’d never accepted Mr. Choi’s request to work on that damned case.

“I’ll do what I have to do.” He answered after a moment and ignored the worried noise Jaemin replied his statement with. He’d do what he had to do. “Thank you for letting me know all of this, hyung. Please, take care. I mean it. And let me know if there’s anything I can do to help you.”

 Jaemin knew Jaebum was stubborn as hell, always has been, and that there’d be no use trying to convince him of the contrary once he’s already set his mind into doing something, so he simply hummed in understanding. _“It’s your choice.”_ He repeated. _“I have to go now, I’ve been using this phone for quite some time already and I don’t want to risk anything.”_

“Of course, right,” Jaebum felt his stomach turning from the nerves. “Hear from you soon?”

_“You will.”_

 They hang up simultaneously, the line getting cut right away. Jaebum watched early dawn casting lighter shadows across his room, prussian blue and honey filtering in through the fluttering of curtains. He felt every inch of his skin prickle, but he tried to stay focused on his next step now.

 What Jaemin had told him confirmed Mr. Park’s death not to be an accident, much less natural. And Jaebum had this feeling and faint memory of having seen something about chloride potassium somewhere in the Parks’ residence, so the puzzle pieces that it’s been someone from the inside to poison the patriarch clicked together without much effort. Of course, he could be overthinking and overreacting it, yes, but it didn’t seem likely. It’s a murder. And it’s been someone from the house. Mr. Choi was right all along.

 His next move was quite obvious now; he’d attend the social gathering later with extra attention to their surroundings, and stick to Jinyoung the most he could in order to protect him from any possible harm. Talking to his client about the new light he’s gotten on the case was a must, too. Even if he didn’t keep up with the case after today, he’d convince the old man to leave it in more capable hands, like the police. They all could be in danger in that house.

 Jaebum should make sure they were safe and sound before withdrawing completely from Jinyoung’s life. He wouldn’t make the same mistake of turning his back to someone who needed him and end up losing them forever, at least not twice. This time, he’d make things right. Think of it as his redemption.

 

 The event was scheduled to officially start around 5PM and stretch itself until 9PM, but the majority of the guests were already present and socializing between themselves by 4PM. Jaebum got there only a few minutes before the stipulated time—somewhere around a quarter to five. It’s already pretty busy for anyone to actually notice his entrance, so it hasn’t been a problem to mingle in the slightest.

 Appetisers and delicacies were being served by impeccably dressed servants, as well as champagne flutes, and they sauntered around the lounge area with a polite smile on their sober expressions. The hall looked the same, fancy and neat, the only difference lying in the amount of people gathered in small groups, walking up and down the otherwise quite calm and peaceful room. Jaebum furrowed. He’d have to be extra careful and attentive tonight.

 After the news he’s got earlier that day, Jaebum had instantly called Mark to brief him in.

 Mark didn’t sound pleased when Jaebum finished his explanatory speech about the events that had taken place in the last few days, last few hours. In fact, he had sounded kind of enraged while yelling “ _What the fuck are you doing, Jaebum?_ ” in their call during the late morning. Jaebum didn’t blame him.

 Grimacing to his reflection on the tinted windows as he paced around his living room, he’d tried to be positive. “Look, it’s not that bad.” It was. “Just a little inconvenient, maybe?”

 _“Your cover just got blown by your target, and the case you’d thought being about a quite unnecessary surveillance now escalated to a full suspicious of murder where your friends are getting threatened just by helping you out with some sneaky research.”_ Mark had made it sound pretty bad. _“Tell me how it isn’t that bad.”_

“I know how that sounds, I know.” He had sighed. “But, if you think about it, it’s the same as it’s always been. I mean, we’re the only ones that treated it lightly, like the old chap was overreacting the whole ordeal, but he’d said he suspected it to be a murder case since the beginning. He hired protection for Jinyoung because he was afraid someone would come after him—after them—next.”

_“What are you saying? That we’re the ones overeating it now?”_

“Aren’t we? Of course, it’s scary and awkward as shit, but it’s impacting us in that way only because we thought it to be a simple case and nothing else. If, already suspecting of all that, Mr. Choi still told me there wasn’t a motive for me to keep going with the surveillance anymore, since there hasn’t been any threat towards them in the meanwhile, I guess it isn’t that bad. If he isn’t worried about it now, why would we?”

 _“Maybe because now we got the confirmation that it indeed was a criminal act, and he must be thinking it’s just him overreacting the situation since no one tried to pounce on them until now?”_ Mark had retorted, sarcastic, but right on point. _“It’s like we switched places. The only difference is that we’re sure something is up, while he wasn’t back then.”_

 That made so much sense Jaebum had felt a chill skirting up his back. “You’re right.”

_“Of course, I am. That’s why I’m shit worried about you.”_

“I will talk with Mr. Choi.” He had said then, with finality, chasing the end of that conversation before another anxiety attack chased after him. “I’ll talk to him, and we’ll call the police as soon as possible. I still don’t know how we’re gonna figure this out, but I’ll do something. I just need you to keep having my back on this.”

 _“You know I’ll always have your back, you idiot.”_ Mark had grumbled from the other end, and Jaebum believed in him. He’d always trust Mark with his life. _“Just be safe. Tell me what more I can do for you from here, and I’ll do.”_

 Jaebum thank him and hang up shortly after that reassurance. That brief conversation with Mark has given him enough strength to get ready for the social gathering, and now, he discreetly stuck to a wall where he could see the entire hall and keep an eye on everyone, mind set in making his last night as Jinyoung’s protector worth it.

 The first familiar face Jaebum spotted on the crowd was Youngjae’s. The guy lingered by the food table after having just finished another lap around the hall offering champagne to the guests, silver tray still resting between his gloved fingers. Jaebum pushed off the wall and approached him. Might as well strike up a conversation and maybe discover Jinyoung’s whereabouts while he’s there.

“Any recommendations on what I should try first? I’ve heard you’re quite close to the cooker.” It’s the first thing he said as soon as he got by Youngjae’s side. It wouldn’t do any harm to let the guy know he was aware of his degree of relatedness with the house’s cook now, anyway.

 Youngjae turned around at that, and Jaebum couldn’t help huffing a laugh at the look the other regarded him with as soon as he took in his appearance. “Holy shit, hyung!” Youngjae exclaimed, eyes widening in surprise and unconcealed appreciation. “You look so…”

“Different?” Jaebum supplied, feeling pretty much self-conscious with the way the younger man kept raking his gaze up and down his frame. A traitorous part of his brain wondered whether Jinyoung was going to react that way to him shaving and styling his hair off his forehead for once. He kind of wished so.

“Handsome.” Youngjae corrected after another moment, and the grin that stretched his (cutely big) mouth was genuinely appraising. “You look really handsome today, hyung. Suits look good on you.”

 Jaebum casted a quick glance on the black suit that hugged his body, and then flashed a quicker toothless smile to Youngjae for the compliment. It’s been a while since the last time someone said he looked good in a suit, but then it’s been a much longer while he had worn a suit himself. It felt foreign. Strangely, in a nice way now.

“Oh, and answering your question,” Youngjae pointed to a plate full of what looked like fried rice cakes, “here, try this one! It’s called bukkimi, and mom’s are the best in town.”

 Jaebum knew what bukkumi was, but he still indulged Youngjae in, pretending to be clueless about the dessert’s taste while gently picking up one of the small, whitey cakes with the aid of a napkin. “What are these made of?”

“They’re pan fried rice cakes filled with sweet red beans. They’re kinda gooey on the inside for the filling, but really sweet and tasty! And they’re crispy on the outside due to the frying, so the texture is just wonderful, like, both soft and crunchy at the same time.”

 Jaebum nodded his understanding before shoving the entire cake into his mouth, munching it without any finesse or subtlety altogether. Youngjae blinked at him. “It tastes good.” He said after swallowing great part of it. The soft smile with which the younger regarded him then was enough to make him feel at ease.

 They chatted for a little bit more, and then Youngjae excused himself to go make the rounds again, promising he’d be back in a while, so they could talk more. He seemed really excited about making Jaebum taste every dish they were serving that night, ready to recite an essay about how his mother has prepared it at every bite. Jaebum decided he didn’t mind the company in the slightest.

 He just kind of wondered why Youngjae hasn’t seem surprised by him knowing he was the cook’s son, once they’ve never discussed or addressed it openly before. Not that it was all that important as to keep hold of his thoughts whatsoever. It’s just curious.

 The movement around the room was slow; people talking between themselves and appreciating the decoration for the lack of something better to do. And it was only when Youngjae had disappeared from sight that Jaebum remembered how he hadn’t asked the guy about Jinyoung. Crap. The way was to wait now. Fishing a flute from a random tray that was passing by him at that moment, Jaebum put himself to observe the room once again.

 He wasn’t sure of what to expect from that event. It surely wouldn’t have any formal speech about Jinyoung taking his father’s throne or anything like that, and it more than likely wasn’t about all those endorsers auctioning the Park family’s share in every deal having they deemed Jinyoung unprepared and incapable of taking charge of their business now. Everything that there was to be settled there, would be done so inconspicuously. Jaebum wasn’t sure of his role in that scenario, and neither what should he be looking for in the crowd.

 But then, it’s been him the one to put himself in that situation, hasn’t he? Mr. Choi has certainly told him it wasn’t necessary, but he had insisted. And after the news he’s got from Jaemin earlier, he felt like he was in the right place and right time now, but he couldn’t help feeling out of sorts once he didn’t know what he should be alert to.

 Perhaps, he should just find Jinyoung and stick to him. If anything was to happen, it’d be related to the kid. Jaebum only had to keep his eyes on Jinyoung. _What certainly wouldn’t be a problem_ , Jaebum thought, stunned, as his gaze zeroed in on the lean frame standing by one corner of the lounge.

 Jinyoung looked absolutely gorgeous tonight. There wasn’t anything from the bad boy Jaebum has seen in him before; no leather jackets, no disheveled hair, and no scarred boots. This time, Jinyoung was primly dressed in tailored suit and dress shoes, silk shirt tucked in and stretching across his chest underneath. His hair was styled back in a side quiff, looking darker from the gel, matching the sultry ebony of his entire outfit. There’s this unapproachable aura around him, dangerous and sleek in ways that were hard to describe, and it knocked the air out Jaebum’s lungs for a moment. Jinyoung looked as powerful and influencing as his name.

 Two older men engaged him in a talk by the bottom of the staircase, seemingly business-like. Jinyoung answered them shortly but decidedly, making sure to respect their opinions while showing through his actions and very posture how his were better anyway. The men looked pleased by his behavior. Jinyoung kept his expression blank and composed all the while.

 A couple minutes later, and the old men were excusing themselves with matching satisfied grins on their quite snobbish faces. Jinyoung may have just made another big-money deal right then. Jaebum didn’t doubt his capableness in assuming his father’s spot in the business anymore. He just wondered whether that was the future Jinyoung wanted for himself, though. For the lack of enthusiasm the kid showed then… it didn’t seem likely.

 Jaebum watched Jinyoung from afar for more ten or so minutes before finally approaching him. The flute he held loosely between his fingers was his third by now. Jinyoung had also acquired one to sip from in the meanwhile.

“Things going well, I see.” They weren’t looking in each other’s direction, Jinyoung had his back clad in expensive cotton facing him, but Jaebum could see the exact moment the other acknowledged his presence by the subtle stiffening of his shoulders.

 Jinyoung didn’t turn around right away, though. He swirled the champagne around in his glass for one second or two, suddenly really interested in the sparkly bubbles rising from the bottom—well, at least more than in Jaebum’s presence, that’s for sure. Jaebum let him be, sipped from his own flute, patiently. Things were always like that between them for some reason.

 Finally, Jinyoung made to turn around, expression still cautiously impassive as he began, “They were going pretty lovely until you-”, and then, Jaebum had the satisfaction of seeing it crumble inch by inch as the man took in the sight of him.

 It’s the first time Jaebum saw something other than sheer boredom glossing over those smooth lines of expression that now drew a pattern on Jinyoung’s pretty face. And it played some delicate strings on his heart to realize that the look he was being regarded with right now was one of honest appreciation masked by surprise.

 Jinyoung regarded him with his lips parted, probably around the rest of the sentence he’d been voicing out before, and a distinctive flush to his cheeks that threatened to blossom onto a full blush whether he didn’t get a grip of himself soon. Those scorching hot umber eyes left shivers in their wake as they pretty much checked Jaebum out. Jaebum didn’t even try fighting the smirk that tugged the corner of his mouth at that.

 Just as Jaebum had seen the exact moment Jinyoung acknowledged his presence a moment ago, he saw it when the guy seemed to snap out of his stupor and blinked at him. Jinyoung pressed his lips together and looked away with a small snort. “Things are going well, yeah. I can’t complain.”

 Jaebum could see how meek pink faded down from the top of his ears as he then took a large gulp from his champagne. Those were some pretty oversized ears, by the way. Jaebum thought they looked cute.

“You look good.” It slipped past Jaebum’s lips before he could think better of it, and he reprehensively bit the bottom one when Jinyoung looked back at him with an eyebrow raised. Shrugging as not to make of that compliment a big deal, he added, “I almost didn’t recognize you.”

 The corner of Jinyoung’s mouth twitched faintly as he took one step closer. “I can’t say the same about you.” He said, sickeningly sweet. “I would recognize those twin moles everywhere.”

 Unconsciously, Jaebum reached up to touch the two moles dotting his left eyelid. He didn’t think Jinyoung had noticed them; they were relatively light and quite hard to see sometimes. Especially if not looked at closely. Apparently, Jinyoung has paid enough attention to his face to spot them that easily.

 Someone came to steal Jinyoung for some business talk before Jaebum could think of something clever to say, and he was left to stare at the victorious grin Jinyoung let slip as he turned around to give one of his family’s sponsors his undivided attention. Jaebum was instantly reminded of his talk with Jackson, where he’d said Jinyoung would wear a triumphant grin every time he succeeded in fooling Jaebum. He kind of got it now. Even that was somewhat beautiful in Jinyoung, Jaebum thought.

 Since he still had to stick close to Jinyoung now that he finally found him in that sea of people, he hovered at the bottom of the stairs, occasionally getting distracted by the surroundings. The large mirror was still there, attached to the wall opposite to the living room and standing out like a sore thumb.

 Something in that mirror bothered Jaebum. It was beyond his senses to point out what exactly, but he strangely felt like he was being watched while looking at it. Of course, besides the obvious fact he’s been staring at his own reflection for the past minute or so, just like he’d done the first time he’d put foot in there, that is. He felt like he was being watched as in watched by _someone else_.

 Such sentiment reminded him of why he should be sharing about what he’d discovered with Jinyoung. He should be alert, now more than ever. The guy deserved to know his father hadn’t died from natural causes, even though Jaebum had an inkling Jinyoung has also been suspecting of it already.

 Jinyoung seemed like the type to catch up on things quickly, always so clever and sharp. He certainly knew way more than he let on, carrying on with his worries without saying a word, bearing the pain of grieving and living with the foreboding feeling that something wasn’t right all alone. A lone wolf of some sort.

 It explained a fraction of his personality, if Jaebum ever came to think about it; the sourness always present in his way too sarcastic words, the mood swings and sudden loss of interest in things in general, the stiffness of his muscles that made him seem like he’s constantly wound too tightly, and the newly developed habit of putting himself in danger and causing trouble, disregarding his own safety as if that didn’t matter anymore.

 Jinyoung’s been through a whole lot of shit, day after day putting up a strong, stoic front so no one would actually see how badly he was hurting. Jaebum felt his heart constrict in how much they’re similar in this. That wasn’t the first time he felt compassionate of the man, and it pained him to know it wouldn’t be the last, either.

 Ironic how here he was, judging Jinyoung’s actions while doing the very same as him; disregarding his own trauma in behalf of feeling sorry for the other’s one. Jaebum should add ‘hypocrite’ to his self-deprecating list—that is, if it weren’t already there, squeezed between self-destructive and rude. It probably was. Jaebum shouldn’t really bother.

 His wondering of whether Jinyoung’s reaction that night in his car had something to do with any of the many things he knew and kept a secret about got interrupted by a hand on his shoulder. He couldn’t help flinching at the touch, startled, only to have the fingers tightening around the bone in something akin to reassurance.

“Feeling a bit skittish, aren’t we?” Jinyoung mocked, the ghost of a smirk haunting his plush lips. Jaebum ignored how he didn’t feel all that annoyed seeing the guy beaming in some way after teasing him for something, at least not anymore. He focused on the hand still holding his shoulder instead.

 That was the first time they touched—like really touched, and not just shared an awkward grazing of fingers briefly. They were bound to touch sometime, of course, given the nature of their “relationship” and well, the principles of socialization and that shit. They’d touch, eventually.

 But the blatant suddenness of it now, and the outstanding fact that it’s been Jinyoung the one to initialize it and even give his shoulder a squeeze… it startled Jaebum more than the gesture itself.

 And Jinyoung seemed to have read something in his expression that told him just that, because his eyes darted between Jaebum’s face and the hand on his shoulder, slightly surprised himself, and took it away.

 The memory of Jinyoung’s hand still weighed on his muscles when he turned around to face him fully. That suit molded Jinyoung’s figure so perfectly, he noticed again. Hugged and stretched over all the right places. It looked classy, exactly what was to be expected of the heir of a prospering empire in the middle of a business gathering, but it also looked so attractive and somewhat private. It looked like something Jinyoung would wear on a high-class date, something he’d picked to impress someone. The duality was breathtaking.

 To sum it up, Jinyoung looked undeniably hot in that tailored suit.

 Jaebum frowned at his own train of thought, and then down at the half-empty glass he still held between loose fingers. Maybe that much of champagne was enough for the night already. He silently placed it on top of a shiny silver tray that conveniently waltzed by.

 The next time he looked at Jinyoung again, though, it was with a different mindset. An unfortunately darker one. He needed to tell Jinyoung about the huge step he’d given in the case, it concerned him more than it did anyone else, but he didn’t know how. It was hard to tell someone your dad has been murdered, and that the suspicion about it being someone from inside their own home solidified with each passing day didn’t exactly make things easier. Jaebum didn’t know how to approach it without having Jinyoung walking out on him once again.

 It turned out he didn’t have to, because after another moment, Jinyoung was clearing his throat and bringing the issue to the table on his own. “So, you’re leaving tonight.” It wasn’t a question, but it was clear on his tone how he wanted the answer to pose differently from what he already expected it to be.

 Jaebum gritted his teeth, felt the muscles on his jaw working. Well. He couldn’t say he was glad in telling Jinyoung otherwise. “Actually, I’m not so sure about it anymore.”

“Oh?” The hopeful look that crossed those soft features, unbidden, almost made Jaebum smile. He liked to see those tiny cracks and fissures appearing on Jinyoung’s wall every once in a while. “What prompted such change? Afraid of missing me that much?”

 Jaebum wanted to keep it like that, the light banter they’d unconsciously turned into a bad habit of theirs. He wanted to retort with some sort of flirty, witty remark and see the amusement shining on those dark, dark irises like he was already getting quite used to. However, there were things more important to be discussed now, things he couldn’t put off any further.

 With a sigh, Jaebum straightened his posture. “Jinyoung, we need to talk--”

“Hyung! I brought you more food to try--oh, hi, Jinyoung hyung,” Youngjae stopped, both in his tracks and words, at seeing the two of them together and holding a conversation. The tray he carried on his gloved hands indeed was filled with different kinds of pastries, from baked cakes to croissants.

 Youngjae looked back and forth for a moment, and Jaebum wondered if he were either reading the atmosphere accordingly or getting the wrong idea about the situation—that is, if the blush that rose to the apple of Youngjae’s cheeks didn’t say it all already. The mellow smile he flashed them afterwards only confirmed that it was likely the latter. “Am I interrupting something?”

 It was Jaebum’s time to fight a blush now. He crossed both arms in defensive as he looked away from Youngjae with a scolding huff, unfortunately landing his gaze right back at Jinyoung, and then he watched how the man stared at something in the general area of his chest with his almond eyes slight widened.

 Was Jinyoung checking him out again? Jaebum craned his neck to cast a look down on himself, at the tantalizing stretch of fabric around his biceps and across the plane of his broad shoulders. He’d inspected how the outfit fitted his body in the mirror before leaving his house, so he knew it made him look _broader_. Jaebum knew he looked good in it, yeah; but seeing the way Jinyoung drank him in was beyond flattering.

 Jinyoung snapped out of his trance when Youngjae’s giggle rang by their side, and for a moment his eyes met Jaebum’s, but Jinyoung was quick to narrow them in a warning when Jaebum smirked at his reaction. They both turned their attention to the youngest between them three, nonetheless.

“No,” It’s Jinyoung to say, answering the question Youngjae had made what felt like years ago. The way he glared at the poor boy would be funny if Jaebum wasn’t feeling slight annoyed for being interrupted, too.

 Youngjae feigned innocence, but the mirth dancing in every line of his playful expression was impossible to deny. “Ah, that’s good then, because Jinyoung hyung”—he gestured towards Jinyoung with the hand that wasn’t holding the tray of pastries—“speaks about you all the time. I wouldn’t like to disturb him when he finally got to talk to you, hyung.”

 Jaebum raised one eyebrow at Jinyoung, cocky, because it wasn’t the first time he was hearing that, and the smirk playing with the corners of his mouth now was unrestrained and somewhat proud, but Jinyoung was too busy pinching Youngjae’s arm as hard and discreetly as he could to notice it.

 Youngjae laughed and wiggled out of Jinyoung’s hold, their antics resembling one of brothers instead of employer and employee. Jaebum couldn’t help regarding them fondly. It was admirable how everyone seemed to treat each other as equals—maybe even friends—in that household; at least when it came to Jinyoung.

“Anyway, I don’t want to take much of your time and I’m still at service so,” Youngjae handed Jaebum the whole tray and stepped back. “Here, hyung, try this one and this one.” He pointed to a pineapple bun and then to a light-green macaron, respectively. “There are many flavors, so you can try and decide which you like best!”

 For a moment, Jaebum lost himself in the sea of colorful small buns, and soon enough, the words were leaving him in an almost childlike tone, “Is there something strawberry-like? I like strawberry best.”

 As Youngjae jumped to attention, ready to help and guide him through all those desserts, Jaebum stole a glance at Jinyoung only to acknowledge the glint of satisfaction that brightened his whole face. The man seemed pleased to discover something about Jaebum, even if said ‘something’ was as small as that. Jaebum tried not to smile.

 Youngjae stood by Jaebum’s side, promptly pointing to one small delicacy decorated with lots of strawberry and syrup. “This one here, it’s a pastry heart. It’s quite similar to palm leaves pastry, and it’s usually topped with this white sugar icing--the shell is a bit hard, but it’s soft on the inside. Here, the strawberries even make a heart shape on the surface, see? It’s pretty cute, right?”

 Jaebum nodded. “Yeah.” With one friendly grin, he looked up and at the younger guy again. “Thank you, Youngjae-ah.”

“You’re welcome.” Youngjae beamed, his smile blindingly beautiful. “Well. I’ll leave it up to you, then. If you need anything else, just call me and I’ll come.” And saying this, he took the other nod Jaebum gave him and turned to walk away, throwing a wink from over one shoulder at Jinyoung when thinking Jaebum was engrossed with the pastries again. Jaebum wasn’t. Jinyoung pretended he didn’t see it.

 As soon as Youngjae was out of sight, mingled with the other people in the hall, Jaebum fiddled with the blunt corners of the tray for a second and then looked up at Jinyoung again. He was already looking back at him. The smudged eyeshadow kissing the edges of his almost black eyes made of his gaze incredibly more intense.

 Jaebum gulped, tensed again. “Jinyoung, we need to talk.”

“I don’t talk about you all the time.” Jinyoung cut in instantly. Jaebum was sure he could see the top of his ears flushing with heat again, even though very, very subtly, but he didn’t comment on it.

“It’s not about that.” He clarified. “Can we go somewhere else? It’s… delicate.”

 Jinyoung seemed like he was about to strike some sort of witty remark about that, a joyful glint crossing his eyes, but just as soon as it came, it was gone to leave a more somber expression on its place. He realized the issue was actually serious.

 Answering him with nothing but a cautious narrow of eyes, Jinyoung turned on his heels and started to walk away. At first, Jaebum assumed he was being walked out on again, but then the guy was stopping on his tracks a few steps up the staircase to throw him a glance from over one shoulder. It took Jaebum another moment to realize Jinyoung was actually waiting for him to catch up, to follow.

 A chill shook every of his nerve endings for a reason he chose to ignore. Jinyoung cocked his head in a silent question: _are you coming?_

 Jaebum carefully placed the pastries tray onto some furniture and moved, followed. They walked up the stair in silence, allowing the soft chatter in the hall to guide them to the second floor. Jaebum didn’t get to taste the pastry heart, but this was the last thing on his mind right now.

 The sight of Jinyoung’s backside clad in those fitting trousers presented in front of him as they ascended the stairs was the first.

 They were about to discuss very serious matters, and it’s very rude and disrespectful of him to stare, but Jaebum couldn’t deny Jinyoung had a nice ass. And an admirable small waist. Great curves, too.

“I don’t know what you got to say,” Jinyoung was suddenly saying, having turned around and coming to a stop as Jaebum spaced out about his butt, and Jaebum almost ran right into him as they were now standing in the long corridor he once came to know led to the main chambers (Jinyoung’s room and what once had been his father’s). The younger looked at him funnily, though finished anyway, “but, if it’s about the protection shit again, I don’t wanna hear it. I don’t need it.”

 Jaebum sighed. “It isn’t exactly about it, but it’s related. It’s about what truly happened to your dad.”

 Jinyoung’s eyes widened and his hard expression cracked before he could help it. He looked so broke for a moment, so _afraid_ and hurt, that Jaebum found himself surging forward to curl one hand around the back of his neck in a comforting gesture. It’s the second time they touched.

 Deciding that it was best to just went on with what he had to say, he didn’t wait for any further reaction and just dropped, “It wasn’t an accident, not even has it been natural. His death, I mean. He was murdered, Jinyoung. That’s why I’m here. To prevent the same from happening to you.”

 The man was shaking, Jaebum noticed, and it was so transparent how emotions flickered over his face as he digested the information. Jaebum wanted to hug him. But the hard look was back in a blink of eye, and Jinyoung jerked away from the hold Jaebum still had on him as if it offended his very existence.

“What are you saying?” He muttered, voice strained in his effort to make it sound controlled. The dull wariness swimming in his eyes made Jaebum want to spill everything and tell him all the details about the case, and well, his mind couldn’t come up with enough motives to stop him from doing just so.

 Jaebum had come here today to warn Jinyoung, to raise all the red flags and signal him to stay alert, because the suspicion they had about Mr. Park being murdered has just been confirmed through his clandestine investigation; there’s no better way to do so than getting them to the same page in that issue.

 And so Jaebum told Jinyoung about everything.

 


	8. Eight

 

 Jaebum enlightened Jinyoung about the case. From his encounter with Mr. Choi, to their subsequent arrangement, and then detailed down the events until this morning’s turning point. Jinyoung soaked it up in silence. They spent easily twenty minutes there, with Jaebum narrating the shit that has been going down lately, and it’s a wonder no one ever came to check on them.

 He supposed it’s because only a few people were allowed to put foot in that private section of the house; just the closest to Jinyoung and the highest in servant ranking, from what he recalled from Mr. Choi’s tour on his first day there. They hadn’t gone up there that time. Jaebum briefly wondered if it could be called an achievement to be allowed in there now.

 When he was done explaining—and only after a good three minutes have passed in heavy, loaded silence—the sound of Jinyoung’s now even voice rang in his ears, “I appreciate you telling me all this. Still, there’s no need for you to stay longer—”

“I want to.” Jaebum interrupted.

“—than necessary.” Jinyoung licked his lips, the interruption and the words it carried clearly making him lose his composure. Those piercing eyes left the sophisticated wallpaper they were almost glaring at to meet Jaebum’s again. “Jaebum-ssi, I understand you _want to_ _have_ the absolute success in it, but your job here is done. You were hired to keep an eye on me, but only through surveillancing; as a silent, distant observer. And your client dismissed your services already. It’s done.”

 Jaebum tried to protest, certainly interrupt him again, but Jinyoung raised one hand and stopped him with a gesture that left no room to argue. The power Jinyoung had in only his actions was astonishing. Jaebum found himself hating and liking it evenly.

 With an exhale, Jinyoung grounded. “You’re a private investigator, Jaebum-ssi. Not my bodyguard.” Funny how Jaebum’s been telling his client exactly that for the past month, and his conviction used to sooth him then, but hearing Jinyoung saying it to him now equaled to a punch in the ribs. “Protecting me isn’t your job.”

“But I want to keep you safe!” Jaebum exclaimed, surprised himself more than Jinyoung with such statement. He felt the blood running cold and hot inside his veins, thrumming, and his head threatened to spin and turn as it always did when he rode a roller-coaster. “I want to protect you.” He felt breathless, agitated as in need of making Jinyoung _understand_.

 Though it was hard to make Jinyoung understand something not even him could comprehend in full yet.

“The last time someone told me that, they were put in a coffin because of me the very next morning. I don’t want that happening again.”

 At a lost of words, Jaebum could only look at the other with a deep furrow wrinkling his brow. That was such a step forward, Jinyoung sharing such thing with him, but he wasn’t sure where it was heading. He could be perfectly walking in the wrong direction then. There wasn’t how to know that.

 But he still held both his ground and his accidental but surprisingly true statement from before. There was this desire blooming inside him, the one to keep all bad things away from Jinyoung and make him smile honestly for once. Protecting that guy and watching over him didn’t pose as the dreadful job he’s unwillingly accepted one month ago anymore, not quite. It felt different.

 It’s like Jaebum wouldn’t be able to sleep in peace again until that case was solved, and the culprit was left to rot behind bars, far away from Jinyoung. But then, Jaebum didn’t even remember the last time he did sleep well to turn it into some kind of base. Well shit.

 Probably there was more to be the said, but none of them knew how to approach it in that moment. Jaebum tried giving one step closer, but Jinyoung stepped back just as immediately. That showed how decided he was in pushing Jaebum away, although his eyes wanted to tell a different story. They flashed fear again.

“I still have today.” It was Jaebum the one to break the silence first, shoving both hands into the pockets of his trousers. He knew better than to keep arguing with Jinyoung about that issue. That didn’t mean he’d be giving up on his goal to keep the man safe whatsoever. “I’ll talk to your butler and tell him about the new information. Tomorrow, I’ll call the police if he won’t have done so already.” He shrugged. “I may even stick around and sleep here tonight to make sure nothing happens until the authorities take charge.”

 Jinyoung chewed on his lower lip, looking antsy and unsatisfied, and Jaebum thought he was going to say something in protest by the way he opened and closed his mouth a few times. Though, whatever it’s what he wanted to say, he swiftly pushed it aside in behalf of slipping back into the cocky armor he wore so tightly around his muscles. Jaebum watched Jinyoung closing up again like he did to a sad movie.

“Worrying about me, Jaebum-ssi?” Jinyoung teased, and it sounded forced even to Jaebum’s still inexperienced ears. “Beware. People might understand this wrongly.”

 Those were the words Jinyoung had said to him right before they parted ways in Rodeo Street, he recognized, but they didn’t hold the sweet mirth they did before. It’s apathetic and sprinkled with gloominess now.

 Even so, Jaebum tried to grin. It came away wrong, more like an exasperated grimace, but Jinyoung’s one wasn’t that much better, anyway. The weight of all those things left unsaid hung in the air around them heavily, almost palpable even. None mentioned it, or made to acknowledge it further than just looking thoroughly uncomfortable while standing in the well-lit corridor.

 The situation wouldn’t be solved that easily, independent of whatever they tried to say to soften things, therefore, they simply didn’t say anything. The most they did was clearing their throats, sharing one last meaningful look and expressing how they should go back to the gathering downstairs by now.

 The unmatching noise of their dress shoes clicking against the hardwood floor as they left the second floor was the last thing to reverberate around the corridor walls before it got immersed in a dull silence once again.

 No one brought up how that was the first time they left somewhere together, instead of one walking away on the other like usual, but they didn’t really need to. Their presences beside each other as they descended the stairs only to be welcomed by quite a few curious looks was enough.

 

 Jinyoung didn’t talk to him for the rest of the gathering, but it wasn’t like Jaebum was seeking more interactions between them either, so that’s a tie. They simply existed around each other, occasionally getting close to the point of brushing shoulders or just exchanging looks from afar.

 Jinyoung would avoid any of these small, unintentional interactions like the plague. Jaebum would find a bit of amusement in that. They wouldn’t talk in none of the cases.

 When the last few sponsors left the house—all of them with satisfied gleams to polish their greedy expressions, seeming to have many positive feedbacks about Jinyoung and his apparent leadership in business—, Jaebum stayed. Jinyoung had disappeared to the second floor with a couple of his friends that had dropped by (Jackson wasn’t there), but Jaebum didn’t intend on reminding him he had practically invited himself to sleep over as if to strengthen the security on that last night, anyway.

 Jinyoung had already expressed his dislike towards the idea earlier. Jaebum didn’t want to prod further and risk getting thrown out the house for being hella annoying. They were both already aware of his staying. That was enough.

 Jaebum has tried to talk to his client the entire event, but he’d get always the same response from the other servants in return: he’s not available right now, too busy making sure everything goes on smoothly. It was frustrating, to keep being denied like that when he had something really important to share and it’s primordial they discussed it as soon as possible, but he kind of understood. That social gathering would define their future and stability in one way or another; it’s understandable the man was going nuts over getting everything to be perfect.

 Still, Jaebum would huff and chug down half of his innumerous drinks in annoyance. He’d stopped drinking before accompanying Jinyoung to the second floor, but when he was back to the event, he decided it wouldn’t be so bad to have just a few more, if only to keep his hands occupied with something. By the end of the night (and after all the champagne and fruity cocktails Youngjae kept sneakily handing him every once in a while), he was ashamed to say he was than a little tipsy.

 Good thing he had a wonderful control of his body even while intoxicated, and would only feel lightheaded and a bit too cheery in those moments. No embarrassing scenes in sight, thank god.

 He pondered calling Mark again, if only to get himself some company since alcohol usually made him feel lonely and bored, but the thought didn’t really stick. There’s this warm, tingling buzz running under his skin that made him want to either dance until he fainted or make out with some stranger at a random bar. Since it’s been nearly ages since he last did any of those two things, both sober and drunk, he wisely decided to just go have a healing nap instead.

 Might wake up feeling more like himself later, with the weight of reality sinking back over his shoulders. Not that it was a particularly good thing, anyhow.

 Jaebum needed somewhere to sleep in, and since he had invited himself over, he also needed someone that could actually help him settling down for the night in one of the guest rooms. In his tipsy state, he didn’t give a fuck about staying the night, especially because the sober half of his brain backed him up with the memory of Mr. Choi telling him he was welcome to stay there when he was still deciding where to move in momentarily. However, he could already tell he’d feel absurdly pathetic as soon as he was back to his senses. What wouldn’t even take that long actually, because he honestly wasn’t that drunk yet. Just feeling happier than usual.

 For obvious reasons, he wanted to ask Youngjae to help him finding a guest room he could use without being bothered or bothering anyone, but the kid wouldn’t have that much power in the house as to do it without getting in trouble afterwards. And the last thing Jaebum wanted was to put his only _friend_ in there in any sort of trouble. Therefore, Youngjae wasn’t it. It had to be somebody else.

 The servants were already starting to do the cleaning and hustle all about when Jaebum caught sight of exactly who could help him just fine. Feeling bold like no other time, he left his seat on one of the cushioned sofas in the living room and walked to the lean woman carrying a bunch of bedwear down the stairs.

“Hey,” he called, feeling the broad smile on his face foreign where it stretched too much his lips, and showed too much teeth. Funny how he was unused to even smile that widely. Pretty much sad, actually.

 Jisoo looked at him as if he was drunk. Well. Couldn’t argue with that.

“It’s Ji _ss_ o, right?” Jaebum didn’t mean to slur that much.

“Jis _oo_ ,” she corrected, stressing the ‘oo’ and not the ‘ss’ like he’d done. “But I’m surprised you even know that much, sir.”

“Yeah.” It’d be dangerous to go further down that path, since he’d have to explain how he knew her name and it’d be awkward to say he’d read it off a detailed file containing all her (and her coworkers’) personal information, so Jaebum pointedly changed the subject. “Jisoo, I have a favor to ask you.”

“I’m not delivering love notes again.” She deadpanned. The way her eyebrows furrowed and her lips pouted as she talked about the issue with certain distress was very cute, though. “I told Jinyoung oppa it was only that time. I’m not an errand girl.”

“No, that’s not- I won’t ask you to deliver anything. It’s not about Jinyoung.”

 She seemed taken aback by that, the apples of her cheeks turning into a distinct shade of lovely pink. “Oh.” It’s all she said, but Jaebum could tell by her posture that she was embarrassed, maybe for revealing too much about the issue. “My apologies, then, sir.”

“Jaebum is fine.” He said, gentle. “Anyway. The favor I want to ask you is, can you help me finding a guest room I can use? Like, to spend the night.”

“A guest room?” She squinted at him, trying to read in between the lines. Had she found anything hidden behind those words, she didn’t mention it. The clever expression that blossomed like a flower during spring on her delicate face afterwards told a lot, though. “It’s possible, yes. I’ll arrange it for you, since you seem to have so many contacts in this house already. Must be close to the family. Family friends are always welcome.”

 Jaebum didn’t confirm that guessing, but he didn’t shoot it down as untrue either. The truth is that he didn’t really have to say anything. Jisoo already had the things she wanted to believe set in her mind, and few things seemed to be able to change it now. She threw a lopsided smile in his direction before signaling for him to follow. Jaebum did like her.

 They walked through rooms in silence for a whole minute before Jaebum asked, conversationally, verbalizing his curiosity in a way that he wouldn’t have while completely sober, “What was Jinyoung looking for in the garden?”

 Jisoo frowned, threw him a weird look, not quite understanding what he meant. Few people apart from himself would, to say the truth. Jaebum giggled shortly for no motive at all.

“You did pick up something from the bushes in the garden on my first day here.” He pointed out. “Jinyoung’s been looking for something in there ever since. He didn’t know you had found it and picked it up first until I told him so a few days ago.”

“You-” the following open-close-open movement from her mouth hinted her confusion and surprise both. For a moment, it seemed like she’d question him about that back, ask him how he knew that stuff, but before she could force the words out, a quick flash of realization crossed her almost pitch-black eyes and she closed her month at last. What did she realize, though, Jaebum couldn’t even guess.

 They turned on a corner and then she was sighing, adjusting the bedwear she still carried higher on her hold. “You indeed know a lot of things, Jaebum oppa.” He didn’t intend to wince at being called _Jaebum_ _oppa_ , but the title brought out memories he still wanted to bury. Eunjeong called him that way, too.

 Jisoo didn’t seem to notice his discomfort though, as she just went on with her explanation, “I picked up the key. Jinyoung oppa might’ve dropped it there. I was asked to go search for it and I did. I left it under the third flower pot, like instructed. He might’ve forgotten about it and went to search for himself.”

“The key?” Jaebum echoed. He was too caught in the ‘key’ part to absorb the ‘instructed’ one now, but filed it away in his mind for later consideration anyway.

 Jinyoung wouldn’t be the one to ask her such thing, that was for sure; he was oblivious to the fact Jisoo had attained it already when Jaebum approached him in the gardens on Friday. So he couldn’t have instructed her about it. However, he also knew about said key’s location, somehow, so that made them three—whoever ‘them’ might entail in that context. Jaebum wasn’t in the right mental state to try understanding that now.

 Therefore, he simply focused on the only part his neurons could process fully at the moment. “What key?”

“The Blockhouse key, of course.” They reached another corridor, and this time Jisoo stopped walking to wave at the set of doors by the end of it. “You can use any of these. The last one has better access to the bathroom—second door on the right—though.” She said, and that’s all she did before bowing, smiling amiably and leaving him to fence for himself.

 The room Jisoo arranged for him ended up being on the first floor, close to the kitchen, and way off the north wing where the servant’s chambers stood. Jaebum would be totally fine with sleeping on the other house, but she seemed to think it’s better if he stayed under the same roof as _his friend_ in there.

 Even though Jaebum still felt the effervescent prickle of alcohol fogging his senses, he wasn’t stupid as to don’t notice the woman was speaking about her boss when referring to his “friend” (he didn’t doubt Jinyoung had revealed the details about their first encounter in the crossroad to her, where he’d bluffed and introduced himself as “Jinyoung-ah’s friend” to the man itself), and that he’d somehow sneak into Jinyoung’s room later at the break of dawn. His high state only disabled his brain to understand why she seemed so keen and happy to set them up. Just like (apparently) everyone in that household.

 Jaebum didn’t have the time to ask Jisoo further about the Blockhouse, neither about the key, and much less about who instructed her to find it and put it under the third flower pot. He’d have to seek those answers another time. But that was for later, he decided; now, he just wanted to rest one minute or two.

 

 Nothing had happened during the social gathering, no one has tried to harm Jinyoung in any way, and so Jaebum felt unpreoccupied enough to allow himself a quick nap in the spare room while the man spent some time with his friends upstairs. He promised himself it wouldn’t stretch over the half an hour mark. Just a nap to recharge his energy and chase the soft drumming of alcohol inside his head away.

 He shouldn’t have done that. It’s his job to stay up and take care of Jinyoung for how long it takes to get the police involved and in charge of the situation. He’d said he’d spend the night, but he’d meant as in duty still, as in to keep everything under control until the morning. But then the night flow has been so calm and unalarming… lightheaded Jaebum thought it wouldn’t be so bad to just close his eyes for a moment.

 Of course, like everything in his life, it proved to be one hell of a wrong choice. It shouldn’t even be considered as a surprising occurrence by this point.

 The obnoxious ringtone of his phone going off on the bedside table was what woke him up for the second time that day, brightly lit screen casting shadows to dance on the obscured walls. Jaebum, having just managed to doze off, reached blindly for his phone, squinting against the light as soon as it’s held right above his face.

 The digital clock on his phone informed him he’s been asleep for about twenty minutes, and the screen showed another unknown number in the caller identifier. Many unknown numbers were calling him today, he wondered with certain exasperation. Maybe he’s starting to develop a small trauma for calls from numbers he didn’t recognize. Maybe it’s the aftereffects from his morning call still playing chords on his core. Who knew.

 Jaebum felt almost completely sober already, senses kicking back into gear slowly. He only needed to chug down some water and then he’d be brand new again. Licking his dry lips and finding his throat to be just as dry amidst a hard swallow, he answered the call. “Hello—”

 _“Please, Jaebum,”_ Jinyoung wailed from the other end, sounding so fucking terrified that Jaebum felt his heart skid to a stop, only to have it beating frenetically back again in a span of seconds. He was up on his feet and ready to pounce by the time Jinyoung cried, _“help m-me…”_

“Where’you at?” The words tumbled out almost incoherently, jumbled in their haste to get through. Adrenaline hit him along with a disorientating wave of dizziness, panic and dread flooding his emotions, but he forced himself to stay alert. His senses turned sharp and hyperaware as his blood circulation increased in rate, breathing speeding up. He definitely wasn’t feeling drunk anymore.

 There were a few indiscernible noises in the background of their call. It was hard to hear anything other than the wild thudding of his heartbeat going off in his ears. Jaebum pressed the phone against his ear the most he could as if that would make him hear better. It sounded pretty much like there’re hurried, urgent fumbling and muffled voices on the line too.

“ _My room—”_ The line got cut before Jinyoung could croak anything else. Jaebum bolted out of the room without carrying much about his dressing state (which now consisted only of his trousers and sleeveless undershirt, since he’d striped from the suit jacket, dress shirt and shoes before laying down on the bed). The only thing in his mind was that he couldn’t let anything happen to Jinyoung.

 The desperate run he did from the guest room all the way to the second floor presented as a blur to his overwhelmed mind, but somehow he reached the same corridor he’d accompanied Jinyoung to earlier. It was kind of chaotic how he fumbled with knobs or straight away shoved his way inside room after room in search of Jinyoung, calling out his name. He had pretty much dislocated his shoulder somewhere along the line, but the adrenaline running high in his limbs masked the pain for now, leaving only a foreign discomfort in its place. Finding Jinyoung was more important than that right now.

 A couple of doors later, and he finally found the right room. However, things didn’t really go as he thought they would. Starting from the fact that, instead of finding an injured Jinyoung laying somewhere on the floor like he (realistically) dreaded, when he forced his way into the bedroom, the sight he got was the one of Jinyoung and his friends sitting in chairs carefully placed to face the door, all of them looking ecstatic and thrilled as soon as he barged in, as if they’ve been waiting for it. Jaebum didn’t even remember Jinyoung’s friends were still there until then.

“Wow! Not even five minutes!” One of them suddenly exclaimed, _shrieked_ , startling Jaebum out of his stupor. Blinking several times, he looked from one face to another as though they all had two heads and green skin, feeling his blood simmer with some feeling he couldn’t properly describe given his current state of utter shock. He was still standing frozen on the doorway.

“I told y’all he would storm into here to rescue me.” A familiar voice spoke as Jaebum still tried to wrap his mind around what the hell was going on, and the condescending tone of it made him flinch. “My sweet, sweet prince charming coming to save me as soon as I tell him to.”

 His gaze darted to where the voice came from and then zeroed in on the only face he’s been meaning to spot ever since he stormed in, and it physically hurt to see the jubilant look molding Jinyoung’s features as he watched Jaebum falling into another trick of his.

 It honest to god felt like receiving a blow in every corner of his body. Jaebum wouldn’t have expected Jinyoung to stoop so low, not even with the feeble knowledge that there’s this rotten persona in him that usually mocked, downgraded people as a defensive mechanism for nobody to approach him more than necessary. Jaebum wouldn’t have expected Jinyoung to use that on him too, not even in a million years. Even though he indeed should’ve seen it coming.

 Jaebum had stupidly thought that them going against each other was more on the flirty note than something actually degrading. He could take all those times Jinyoung had lost him on the streets, played him in some way, or showered him with snarky remarks and comments about his overall appearance. But this, this was so plain disappointing and humiliating he couldn’t force himself to take it as well.

 That has been the best example of how Jinyoung didn’t actually consider him as anything other than a pathetic pawn he could use whenever boredom struck too deep. Jaebum got mad, so fucking mad he felt the sting of frustrated tears swelling behind his eyes. He felt betrayed; and feeling that because of Jinyoung, because of something he’d done… that was the worst.

 Jaebum frowned, trying to keep his stormy feelings under control.

 They were looking at each other. Jinyoung’s words rang on his hearing like whistles, and his mocking expression was imprinted on the back of Jaebum’s eyelids every time he blinked. That rowdy bunch of friends were saying something about a bet—one had bet that Jaebum would take less than ten minutes to arrive, and the other bet it would be more—, and Jaebum briefly thought how he didn’t recognize any of them.

 Maybe those were Jinyoung’s business friends; other heirs, from other families. Jaebum supposed them rich people must hang out every once in a while to keep all those possible partnerships and future deals available. That didn’t even matter, though. Jaebum wasn’t giving a fuck about them.

 The only thing that mattered now was, how could Jinyoung play a prank on him like that? Knowing what they both knew about the murder case revolving around Jinyoung’s father, knowing about the real danger he was put under now that they got the confirmation someone close to the family was behind all of this. How could Jinyoung play with his feelings like that? Jaebum thought they were… starting to get along.

 Apparently, such feeling was only from is part.

 Jaebum might’ve done a face that showed all his inner emotions as he steeled himself and made to turn around and leave the room, because the last thing he saw before stomping off in decisive steps was the almost imperceptive slip in Jinyoung’s mask. For one millisecond, Jinyoung stared back as if he was also in pain. The anger with which Jaebum slammed the door behind his back echoed how he felt about what he saw reflected in there now. Jaebum didn’t give a fuck about Jinyoung either, not anymore.

 If he wanted to behave like that, then so be it. Jaebum was tired of chasing after him like a babysitter would to a toddler; doing his most to protect him and keep him out of trouble only to be disrespected and made fun of like that, over and over again. That was enough.

 Jaebum had wanted to stay, to keep Jinyoung safe until the police would do that for him, but. The patronizing way Jinyoung treated him now, with this childish prank, was enough to show him how Jinyoung wasn’t taking the situation as seriously as he should. Jinyoung didn’t respect him. Jaebum had had enough of that sick game.

 The fight still hasn’t left his body by the time he was marching across the first floor again, making his way back to the guest room so he could pick up his things and get the hell out of that damned house, and the desire of punching something and breaking things only intensified when he heard footsteps following him down the stairs.

 At that moment, he prayed; he prayed for Jinyoung to back off and leave him alone so he wouldn’t get hurt, and prayed for him to prod his hurt pride further so Jaebum could smack him square in the jaw just like he’s been wanting to do ever since they met. Mixed feelings have always been a constant to their relationship, anyway.

 Jinyoung caught up to him as they reached the kitchen, and every nerve ending in his body shortcutted in an explosion of frustration and hatred when he felt a hand enclosing around his forearm to halt him. “Jaebum, c’mon.” It’s what Jinyoung said, tone tired and pleading as if Jaebum was being unreasonable, and Jaebum felt the last ounce of self-control in him snapping, like a string pulled too tight. _Enough_.

 In a swift, precise move, Jaebum swirled back around and surged forward, proceeding to twist the arm of the hand Jinyoung had on him. He folded it in half across Jinyoung’s front before the man could react with anything other than a surprised gasp, caging it against Jinyoung’s chest with the back of his own, and shoved him backwards. One heartbeat later, and Jaebum had Jinyoung pressed flush against the closest wall. That was the third time they touched.

 Jinyoung groaned in pain after having his scapula colliding with the hard surface. The deep rumble of it echoed on Jaebum’s skin from here he had the side of his wrist slotted into the curve of Jinyoung’s neck, right against his throat. Jaebum held the free arm Jinyoung suddenly tried to push at his shoulder with and immobilized it against the wall too. Jinyoung writhed, albeit without putting up much resistance.

 They looked at each other, both panting slightly from the struggle. Electricity seemed to sparkle all around them. Jaebum pressed the bone on his wrist to Jinyoung’s throat harder, pursing his lips when the guy furrowed his brow and let his supple lips fall open in an aborted cough. They glared at each other, both trembling with unshed emotion.

“Do you know why I quit being a bodyguard?” Jaebum hissed eventually. His voice was grave, barely above a threatening rumble. Tormenting memories flooded his mind, flashing red all about. He could feel his hand trembling where it held a fist close to Jinyoung’s jaw. “I couldn’t save my last client. I lost her. And it was all my fault. She begged me to stay, but I left her alone to fence for herself. I left her.”

 Sorrow, hidden behind stubbornness and pride but still definitely there, glistened in Jinyoung’s dark eyes. The guy didn’t utter a word whatsoever. Jaebum licked down on chapped lips before forcing himself to spit more words between them.

“I was woken up in the middle of the night by a call from an unknown number, and then one of her subordinates was telling me to rush to the main room because something horrible had happened. Does it sound familiar, _Jinyoung-ah_?” At this, Jinyoung’s gaze hardened with guilt. Jaebum knew he’d struck a chord.

 However, Jinyoung reacted differently from what Jaebum supposed he would. Like many, many times before.

“I couldn’t save her, boo-hoo.” Venom bleed from his words as he mocked, choking a little; the forearm Jaebum had across the base of his collarbone difficulted the flow of words out. “You’re bound to lose people, especially in this kinda job; it would happen sometime. You’ll play the victim and blame yourself for the rest of your life?”

 Jaebum couldn’t believe in what he was hearing, and it reflected in his disgusted, frustrated expression. Anger flared hot in his core, spreading across his chest and sending sparkles through his muscles. He’d been waiting for some comforting, sympathetic words, that is, if Jinyoung ever decided to say anything, but. Jinyoung proved him wrong in his assumptions again. This time, in a bad way.

“What the fuck is _wrong_ with you?” Jaebum barked. He was sure his voice was shaking, just like the rest of him, but he couldn’t bring himself to care about that. The weariness of the roller-coaster of emotions he’s been through today was starting to weight down on him. He felt so tired and so riled up still.

  Jinyoung had this wicked half grin on now. It didn’t reach his eyes. “You should know that by now.”

“You’re so childish, inconsiderate, reckless, and so damn annoying,” Jaebum said the words as though he’s spitting something sour out his mouth. “Always making others worry about you, disregarding everyone’s advices and acting like a fucking suicidal. You think that’s cool? It only makes you look pathetic.”

 There’s this moment of silence where Jaebum notices the subtle twitch in Jinyoung’s deliberately arrogant expression, sees the cracks in it like he would to a crumbling wall. Jaebum has struck another chord. It didn’t make him feel good as he thought he would, but it didn’t make him feel bad either. It just angered him further, for some reason that was beyond him.

 Jinyoung struggled against the hold on both his arms again, this time with more intent. Jaebum still managed to keep him secured tightly against the kitchen’s wall, and a thoroughly annoyed laugh rasped his throat, humorless. “Oh, are we courting now? Alright, then. You’re stubborn, use your past to seek attention and empathy from others, and your temper is the worst.”

 Jaebum almost shouts, “Can you please take something seriously for once?!”

 Jinyoung definitely does shout back. “And for what? Mm?” The lack of bite, wit and sass on his aggravated tone is foreign, sad, but he’s back to speaking lowly now, half-assedly controlled, and Jaebum could only force himself to listen. “Why should I, when my life feels like a freaking nightmare from the moment I wake up to when I do to sleep? Do you even know how it is to pretend every damn minute of the day, pretend you’re alright and not at the verge of picking a knife and ending it all already? You have no idea what I have to go through, so shut the fuck up!”

“I fucking do, you prick, since I’ve been doing that for the last three damn years!” Jaebum hit Jinyoung’s back against the wall in a scolding shove one more time before letting him go, enraged and seeing red everywhere he looked. The strong palpitations in his heart alarmed him of another crises.

 Despite releasing his hold on Jinyoung, Jaebum was still in his space when adding, “And you say I’m- what’s that again? An attention seeker who uses my past to receive empathy from the others?” He snorted, indignant. “Well, I have news for you, baby boy. You using your father’s death to rebel the fuck out and try to get yourself killed too in every reckless decision you take isn’t much different from that, either!”

 So much damage was done when Jaebum argued to the boiling point where his foul temper blew like an air balloon, because he’d say mean things only to take his fury out on someone. He saw hurt in Jinyoung’s eyes now, but he didn’t back off just yet.

 Instead, he only dug deeper, and the words tasted rotten even as they left his harsh mouth, unbidden and unmeant, “And you know what more? Maybe it’s better that he’s gone, because this way he won’t have to deal with the daily disappointment of having a worthless son like you!”

 Jaebum took two steps back and away from an equally distressed Jinyoung, gripping at the roots of his short hair and pulling as if that would make him calm down. His fuse simmered and fizzled like a firework, and he swore he could still hear it whistling in his ears like a kettle. The feeling that he shouldn’t have said what he said gnawed at his conscious. Chancing one glance at the other man, he confirmed it.

 Jinyoung had his bottom lip sucked into his mouth, a deep wrinkle between his thick eyebrows, and glossy eyes looking suspiciously shinier than before. Jaebum felt the fight leaving his body the moment the first tear broke down.

 Jinyoung exhaled shakily, dabbed at the stray teardrop angrily before it could slide past his left cheekbone. The look on his face, although unreadable, showed just how much he hated having that argument already. Jaebum shared the feeling.

“Right.” Jinyoung croaked. Jaebum winced at the broken sound of it even though the guy still tried to clear his throat and make his voice sound more stable. “You must be quite sure of what you’re saying since you know the feeling very well.”

 The jab about his own past hit right where it was meant to and beyond, and Jaebum realized with certain horror that Jinyoung was right—even without knowing the whole story about Eunjeong’s incident and thus having the proper background as to put conviction into those words. Jinyoung was absolutely right.

 It’s hard to admit that, however; and Jaebum found himself wanting to lunge forward again, caging Jinyoung and breaking him some more, but he stomped on that impulse right before he could do another stupidity. Destructive as they were, if no one took the initiative to back down first, the only way that argument would come to an end was through punches and bruised limbs. And much damage has already been done for one single day.

 Jaebum let it go. It’s better to leave and lick his wounds in peace than splitting new ones open. That’s enough for one night.

 And it’s with this searing thought in mind that Jaebum let out a frustrated grow and spun on his bare heels, giving Jinyoung the sight of his back leaving as he walked away from their battleground. This time, he didn’t get followed, and there’s no hand holding his wrist by the time he reached the guest room to gather his things. Jinyoung had backed away too.

 When Jaebum was back to the kitchen barely seven minutes later, suit jacket rucked where it covered his torso and dress shoes once again shielding his feet, there was nobody in sight. Swearing under his breath, he stormed out the house.

 

 The next time Jaebum was woken up by a phone call, it’s from a number he had saved on his contacts. It disturbed the silence that has settled in his bedroom a couple of hours ago, but the distant sirens blaring obnoxiously somewhere down the street did so, too.

 Only a few hours after leaving the Parks’ property, Jaebum was being requested (with urgency) to come back there to handle a delicate situation. _Rush to the main room, something terrible happened_. The news that that call carried weren’t as bad as the last ones, though. They were indubitably worse.

 There weren’t words to describe Jaebum’s feelings on the news that someone has broken into Jinyoung’s home and he was reported missing alongside his butler, Choi Eungchan, by the servants of their household at the first ray of sunlight other than corrosive guilt.

 


	9. Nine

 

 When Jaebum first got that fateful call, he’d distantly assumed it’s been a random servant who requested his help and presence back in the house, too shaken and disorientated to think properly and realize how unlikely that sounded in reality.

 Because, apart from Youngjae and Jisoo, no one else in that house was supposed to know he was somewhat involved with their boss, much less have his phone number to call to during emergencies. Therefore, it had to be one of those two people the one to call him and drop the bomb, right? That made more sense, even though the voice he’s heard on the phone didn’t sound like either of theirs.

 But Jaebum didn’t think much about it as he hastily left his home to see the damage at the Parks’ for himself, and truthfully, it hardly even mattered. He had shut everything down the moment he learned Jinyoung has gone missing, driven solemnly by the will of getting him back safe and sound. Nothing else mattered.

 The amount of police cars flashing red and blue lights by the entrance of the property made Jaebum sick to the stomach, and he had to stop and take a few calming breaths out on the street before resuming his stride towards the open gates. It didn’t help much, since he’s still at the verge of breaking down at any given second when he crossed them and went in. Well, whatever then. That couldn’t be helped.

 It was only when he’s frantically shoving his way past a couple of police officers scattered across the gardens that he felt someone grabbing his arm and pulling him aside, apparently tired of calling out to him and having their waves ignored.

 Good thing it didn’t take long for them to stop (right behind a particular thick bush) because Jaebum was already about to swing a punch at whoever was dragging him away from where he was _supposed_ to be.

“Will you just stop and listen?” Someone was saying after Jaebum’s second attempt to just come back around the bush to where the action was at, and it sounded pretty much like the voice that uttered those heart-wrenching words though the phone.

 Curiously, albeit still a bit dazedly, he looked at the other person. It took him almost a minute to recognize Jinyoung’s valet standing there, brow furrowed, looking worried and at the verge of breaking down himself. That was the first time they met, and earlier on the phone, that was the first time they exchanged words, but it seemed like they knew each other already. From Jaebum’s part, it’s obvious, but from the other’s… not much so. Jaebum watched the guy through the fog in his mind.

“I called you to inform you about what happened, and not for you to come here to see it for yourself.” Yugyeom hissed, whisper-yelling. He was young, younger than Jaebum and Jinyoung both, but he looked so mature and determined to get his point across that Jaebum felt compelled to let him talk the way he wanted. “You shouldn’t be here—shouldn’t be _seen_ here, Jaebum-ssi.”

 Jaebum would’ve been aware of that if he were thinking straight, but since the rush of blood in his ears was still making him dizzy, he just frowned at the boy, feeling wronged. “Why not? For god’s sake, Jinyoung is god-knows where, and you-”

“–and you’re worsening everything by being here, you idiot!” Yugyeom cut him, looking annoyed. Jaebum held him by the nape and pushed him down in a scolding manner, squeezing the base of his neck, thing he used to do to his younger friends whenever they got on his nerves.

 He wasn’t sure why he was doing that to Yugyeom, given how much of complete strangers they still were to each other, but he blamed it on how boyish the guy’s features were, and how he resembled a whining child when scrunching up his face in annoyance. Jaebum indeed was feeling out of sorts that morning. That explained great part of his actions anyway.

 Yugyeom, on the contrary, didn’t seem to think of that as something truly alarming in its unusualness. He even indulged Jaebum for a while, whining low in his throat and allowing the other to bend him a few centimeters forward before relenting, shrinking his shoulders in self-protection and submission both. “Alright, alright, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t speak like that. But you’re being the unreasonable one here, sir.”

“How’s that?” Jaebum rumbled, finally letting go of Yugyeom’s neck. Footsteps echoed noisily on their right, a few cops walking by and towards the entrance from the other side of the bush. Jaebum spared them a glance.

“Just so you’re aware, I know about everything, and—”

“—everyone does already, apparently—”

“ _And,_ ” Yugyeom glared at him, but just went on, “if the cops also come to know that you were the last person to see Jinyoung safe and sound, and that you two fought right before he got taken away, don’t you think that you’ll automatically become a suspect?”

  _Oh, so that’s what Yugyeom knew about,_ Jaebum thought. The kid might’ve seen them together the night before and witnessed their fight. Jaebum wasn’t sure whether Yugyeom overheard what they had argued about as well, but the valet wasn’t bringing it to the table whatsoever, so Jaebum wouldn’t be the one to do so either. If their heated fight in the kitchen was everything Yugyeom was worried about hiding, then that’s that.

 Once Jaebum didn’t respond, Yugyeom prodded, “Jinyoung hyung told me about you, sir. Actually, he tells everyone about you—how much fun it is to play with you, and how interesting you are—, and it’s really annoying, but that’s not the point.”

 Jaebum willed his cheeks to stay fair and don’t blush at that news. “And what is?”

“The point is, I don’t know why you two fought last night, but from what I came to know about your… relationship?, I’m sure you wouldn’t do him any harm. I saw you following him around sometimes. If you were to attack him in any way, you’d have already done so. But once the police hear about it, they won’t hear about anything else. You’ll just slow them down, put them in the wrong direction, and- and we can’t afford this right now. We must focus on finding him.”

 Strangely enough, that made a lot of sense. Jaebum knew more than anyone else how frustrating it could be to deal with the police when they already had their mind set on following a trail, always asking the wrong questions and going off on a tangent in the wrong direction. If Jaebum had showed up like he would if Yugyeom hadn’t stopped him, rushing past everyone like a tornado, they’d have held him under interrogation and the answers would’ve led everyone astray.

 Yugyeom was right. It’s best if Jaebum stayed away from the spotlights, especially when he was working from the sidelines and investigating a murder case behind their back. Appearing out of nowhere and demanding them to work faster and show results would only worsen the fuck up.

“Right.” Jaebum acquiesced. If him being away was their best option, he was gonna take it. “Brief me in on what happened, then.”

 Without questioning, neither protesting, Yugyeom did just that. “It’s a chaos in there. Jinyoung hyung put up a fight before being taken away.”

 Jaebum winced, at those words and the mental image that formed inside his head both. Of course, Jinyoung would fight with all he got until he couldn’t anymore. Strong and stubborn as ever, he wouldn’t allow himself to be taken down so easily.

 Melancholy tugged at his heartstrings, playing the gloomy symphony he knew all too well. The thought of Jinyoung fighting alone and, to top that, losing in the end, depressed him. He didn’t interrupt Yugyeom on his report to voice that out, though.

“They must’ve jumped over the low wall and sneaked in a little after you left, one-two hours maybe. No one heard a thing.” Yugyeom pursed his lips, frustrated. “I woke up, and went to do the same to hyung, like usual, and that’s when I saw the warzone that was his bedroom. Furniture knocked over, some objects broken on the floor, glass shards spread in a mess by the window—through where they likely slipped inside, hence the huge hole in it.

“I went to alert our Eungchan seonsaeng-nim of what happened but ended up finding a similar scenario in his chambers. A little less chaotic, obviously, a man in his age wouldn’t be able to put up much resistance like Jinyoung hyung did, but he was also absent. After fruitlessly searching for them and confirming our fears, me and the others called the police right away.”

 Jaebum almost felt embarrassed for only then remembering that his client has been reported missing too. Deep inside, he knew that as soon as they found one they’d find the other by association, once they have been taken together, so he shouldn’t really feel bad. But his mind and soul screamed _Jinyoung, Jinyoung, Jinyoung_ , over and over again, so it was hard to think about anything other than _him_.

 Even so, Jaebum felt bad for good thirty seconds before turning his focus on what mattered the most: finding them.

“What happened then?” He asked after a long moment absorbing the things he’s been told. There was a question waiting, begging to be asked amidst that small piece of information, but Jaebum couldn’t really place where it was yet. It danced on the tip of his tongue once, twice, and then it slipped away, just like when you forget the name of something you’re seeing clearly in your mind-eye. Jaebum didn’t pay it much thought still.

 Yugyeom glanced around them. At the sight of nobody close enough to overhear, he hummed thoughtfully. “I called you next. Jinyoung hyung has your phone number scribbled on the first page of his favorite book—he asked Jackson hyung for it after he learned that you two exchanged numbers for some reason.” He surprised them both with a sudden chuckle. “They actually spent an entire day bickering because of it. Jackson hyung didn’t want to tell him the number once he asked for it, and then kept teasing Jinyoung hyung about having ice cream with you and he didn’t.”

 The cheery expression on the younger guy’s face sobered again, and a new worried frown wrinkled his brow. It’s clear how the happy memory has left a bittersweet taste on his mouth as it crashed with the reality and the possibility of moments like those never happen again became bigger.

“We’ll find them.” Jaebum felt the need to say, to reassure the other. Maybe he was reassuring himself too. “You did a good job.”

“The panic that flooded through me at that moment, the intrinsic feeling of it, will haunt me forever.” Yugyeom shrugged, pretending to be strong. “I don’t want to experience this feeling ever again, y’know?”

“I do.” That was something Jaebum knew very well, indeed. “I do.”

“Anyway. You have to go, sir. I promise to keep in touch and give you a call as soon as something happens, alright? You just- can’t really stay here now.”

“Alright.” Jaebum breathed, gave the main house another longing look before turning back to Yugyeom and nodding. “Ok, I’ll go. And you, you take care.” At Yugyeom’s hurried acquiescence, Jaebum gave him a somewhat comforting squeeze on the shoulder and then made his way across the bush and out the property as sly and discreetly as he could. His heart still hammered inside his ribcage, but his slight cleared brain told the rest of him that that’s the right thing to do. At least for now.

 The last thing he saw before sprinting back up the street towards his own house a few blocks away was Yugyeom’s back as it disappeared inside the main house along with a few policemen.

 

 Jaebum didn’t notice he had stopped having nightmares until he started having them again. And he must say, at an intensity worryingly bigger than before.

 They were more recent now, present even in every blink of his eyes, and he was amazed by how many nightmares a person could have in the span of one day. As things were, he didn’t need to be asleep to have the perfect image of blood rain flashing behind his aching eyelids, and sometimes he’d see Eunjeong walking from the living room to the kitchen to retrieve a knife from one of the drawers. Reality and dream seemed to be existing in the same plane now. Coexisting. It felt pretty much like three years ago, all over again.

 The only difference was that now, the nightmares would more than often feature Jinyoung in them. Sometimes he’d be wearing leather and jeans, others it’d be the perfectly fitting suit from the social gathering. He looked good in every single one of them. Well, not that much in those they’d be marred with blood as Jinyoung smirked up to him with matching cuts on his wrists.

 Jaebum would identify those as unrealistic dreams right away, because he remembered those lacerations to be disfiguring Eunjeong’s pale wrists and not Jinyoung’s, but he’d still run to the bathroom so he could throw up all the content of his stomach on the toilet. He hadn’t eaten more than a half slice of bread, though, so that’s fine.

 There were times when the nightmares would be less like, well, nightmares, and more like memories of what had happened, and Jaebum would find himself staring at the body lying lifeless in the bathtub for the entire duration of them. The dark green dress Eunjeong wore then has been a gift for her latest birthday. Jaebum has thought the color looked good on her.

 Maybe the lack of quality sleep for the past few days enhanced by the recent news had helped to throw him back into that borderline paranoid state. Maybe he should consider taking the pills the doctor had prescribed him after the incident years ago. That was hard to tell. Anyhow, Jaebum felt on the edge.

 Still, Jaebum thought he’s coping with Jinyoung going missing pretty well. The horrified look on Mark’s face as he exclaimed _holy shit!_ barely one foot into his house kind of told him the opposite, though.

 After being notified about the _kidnapping_ (if they’re to call it like that) and before rushing to the Park’s residence only to be shooed away by Yugyeom, Jaebum might or might not have called Mark amidst a panic attack and begged him to come hug him. He literally asked for a _hug_. Mark might’ve been just as surprised as he was after realizing his odd request, but one moment later he was already asking Jaebum for his house’s address so he could drop by.

 Mark arrived there almost at nightfall with an emergency suitcase clutched in one hand, having driven all the way from Sinsa-dong only a few hours after the call.

 Jaebum hadn’t thought through his request before laying it out to Mark, or considered the consequences of it for their business back in Sinsa, but when Mark took in his appearance and stormed in his house to cradle him in an unbearably tight hug, he realized that it hardly even matter.

 It’s unfair to Mark still, having to rush here and there on his rescue, and Jaebum felt apologetic towards his friend. The soft petting Mark did on the back of Jaebum’s head while guiding it to rest on the dip between his shoulder and neck, though, told him the older man didn’t mind it in the slightest. As always, they were good.

 

“You lost a shitton of weight.” It’s the first thing Mark pointed out as soon as they were past the first hour of Jaebum refusing to let the older stop hugging him on the couch. Calmer, Jaebum allowed himself to blush for being so clingy now.

 He gave that statement a thought. It’s hard to remember the last time he ate a proper meal of rice, meat, and vegetables, and not just some junk food or the instant noodles he stored in the cabinet. Having healthy eating habits has never been his forte, anyway. He supposed things went downhill after he moved out and had no Mark to make the rounds and force real food down his throat.

 Wondering just how much dependent he was of Mark, he lost the next thing the man said before venturing to the kitchen island situated a few meters away from the living room area. Jaebum watched him go in thoughtful silence.

 Mark was wearing one his oversized hoodies. It took Jaebum a while to realize how much he’d missed the very sight of him, casually walking around their office and grumbling about the coffee machine making shitty coffee. It calmed him, his best friend’s presence. It wasn’t a wonder it’s only been possible for him to go through Eunjeong’s death with the unconditional care and help of Mark Tuan. Jaebum owed him a lot.

 At the sound of Mark rummaging the cabinets and drawers, Jaebum zoned out.

 Everything that could’ve gone wrong at the social gathering, went wrong. Not exactly during the proper event but afterwards, following their heated argument in the kitchen, and Jaebum once again blamed himself for the results.

 If he’d ignored his hurt pride and stayed with Jinyoung like he was supposed to, maybe he and his butler hadn’t been taken to god knows where and held captive for a little over 14 hours now. Jaebum wanted to believe they’re being held for ransom, but, besides it doesn’t being likely, there wasn’t even the certainty that they’re still alive by this point.

 Authorities usually said that the first 24 hours are primordial to find those who has been kidnapped and rescue them still alive, so Jaebum tried to keep his hopes up, but the clock ticked down on them. It was insufferable, having to wait for news and receiving none. “Good news travel fast, but bad news travel faster.” He could practically hear his aunt’s voice trying to sooth him whenever he felt anxious about having to wait for any kind of news that were to come on his way. She was a wise woman, Jaebum’s aunt. She’s left so many life lessons for him to follow.

 The memory of her fragile body propped up over the terrace’s low wall flashed across the front of his mind, followed by the one of her sweet smile right before she dived into darkness alongside the heavy pour down from that night. Jaebum rubbed the heels of his hands against his eye sockets, _hard_ , until all he could see were small, twinkling dots of red, blue and faint yellow blinking on a dark canvas. He missed her so much.

 Chopped garlic sizzled in the pan when Jaebum forced his thoughts out of the past, he could tell by the pungent smell that filled his kitchen and conjoint living room. He hasn’t even heard Mark chopping anything before then. By the clenching of his stomach, and the loud rumbling it did at the very whiff of anything other than noodles, he wouldn’t be one to complain.

 As Mark busied himself with cooking them food, Jaebum also tried to be productive in some way, and soon enough he found himself scanning the photos stored in his (long unused) Nikon’s memory card on his laptop. It’s been awhile since he last did so, and it pained his heart to see all those photos of Jinyoung well and alive and unsuspecting of what future held for him, but he still delved into the entire folder nonetheless.

 A photo of Jinyoung distractedly licking at the round side of a bright yellow lollipop while gazing into the distance displayed on the screen when Mark came back to reclaim his spot on the couch. Whatever he’s cooking might’ve been left to, well, _cook_ now.

 Jaebum knew they should talk, the moment was asking for some deep shit like that, but he couldn’t just think of anything to get the talk started. Gladly, Mark seemed to have a stronger mind than him right then, because barely one minute later he was kicking his feet up the coffee table and saying, “I warned you.”

 With a roll of eyes, Jaebum sank further down on his seat, as if wanting the couch upholstery to swallow him up. He knew Mark was talking about how that particular case has sounded like a trap since the very beginning. And how Mark had expressed his worry about it reviving unwanted memories and wrecking him up all over again during their first talk, right after Jaebum had accepted the job.

 Mark was right, he did warn Jaebum; his words of him doesn’t wanting to see Jaebum all broken again because it broke him too still fresh in his mind. It was hard, if not impossible, not to feel sorry about making Mark go through all of that because of him again.

 However, Jaebum couldn’t say he regretted it, at least not entirely. There were a couple of things he did regret in the course the past month took, yeah, but accepting that job was not one of them. Despite currently being helpless and useless, he had this strong feeling that it’s a good thing he was there for Jinyoung. Mentally, emotionally and spiritually.

“Jaebum,” Mark called when Jaebum didn’t show any signs of answering him verbally. Jaebum still didn’t answer, choosing instead to just keep on looking at Jinyoung’s profile on the screen, and he was about to skip to another photo when his best friend added, “shit, you truly care about this guy, don’t you?”

 Jaebum’s forefinger froze midmovement, hovered over the spacebar for a moment too long before he forced it to resume the action. Mark looked over, knowingly, but choose not to say a word.

 

 When the food was ready, Jaebum forced himself to eat. The first few spoons of rice were hard to swallow, his stomach rejecting it given by how much time it’s been since he last ate something, but as soon as his body started to fully process the taste of that hot meal, he almost choked on how fast he put his mouth to work.

“Chew.” Mark chided softly as Jaebum coughed with a piece of pork stuck in his throat. He poured the both of them more of honey garlic sauce and resumed eating his own pork chop. Jaebum was shoving spoon after spoon of food down his throat again in a minute.

 They ate in silence apart from the occasional hums of appreciation Jaebum let out, and the satisfied giggles Mark replied those with. It’s unusual having such a rich meal lately, much less with some company. By any means Jaebum was complaining. It felt like a good change.

“So,” Mark finished swallowing a spoonful of vegetables before resuming, “who do you think is behind all this?”

 Jaebum froze with a pork chop halfway into his mouth. The suddenness with which Mark has brought that issue back to the table sent his mind reeling. Dinner was a sacred time. Jaebum almost felt like punching the older for disturbing that blissful moment of peace they’ve achieved over honey garlic pork chops and bowls of rice.

 Sighing, he offered a stiff shrug. “Dunno.”

“You might’ve someone you suspect at least, no?”

“Haven’t thought much about it.” That was true; Jaebum hasn’t thought about the case to the point of listing names or focusing his attention on a particular direction. He has only just discovered that there’s indeed a murderer out there whose plan is to get their hands on the Parks’ wealth—well, more specifically, Jinyoung’s inheritance now. Hasn’t had the time to put blame on anyone yet.

“I have a few.” Mark commented, looking quite unbothered even as Jaebum proceeded to stare at him with his mouth agape. “You still have food in your mouth, y’know. I don’t want to see how much you’ve chewed it already.”

 Jaebum ignored the jab in behalf of asking back, “What do you mean, you have a few?”

“I’ve ran a thorough background check on those people you emailed me—those on the file you got from your client. Some results came in just a couple of days ago, and I haven’t had the time to tell you yet with how busy it got back in the office, but they were interesting enough to arouse my suspicion.

“I kind of listed some names of who we should keep an eye on, given the information omitted in that file that came up in my research.” Mark then ate his last bite of rice, gesturing for Jaebum to finish eating his meal too since the man was still staring at him unblinkingly.

 Jaebum didn’t move. “Who are they?”

“Kim Yugyeom. Kim Jisoo. Choi Youngjae.”

 At each name spoken, Jaebum’s eyes widened, but it was when Mark said Youngjae’s name that he pretty much lost it. Shaking his head in denial, he sneered, leaned back on his seat and fumbled with his chopsticks before trying to pick up a piece of radish from the vegetables bow.

“I’ve met them,” Jaebum explained after catching the curious, amused look Mark was throwing him from the other side of the table. “Kim Yugyeom, just briefly and during a particular bad time, but I did meet the other two more than once. They’re harmless. Especially Youngjae.”

“Got a soft spot for him too?” Mark mocked, eyebrows raised and lopsided smile annoying. Jaebum flipped him off. Mark barked a laugh. “What are you flipping me off for, I didn’t even say anything insulting!”

“What do you even have on them that make you place them on the top of your suspects list?”

 Jaebum was done eating by the time Mark propped his elbows on the table and rested his head on both hands, taking a long breath before listing his motives down.

“Kim Yugyeom. The kid caught my attention right away, you see; he doesn’t really fit the occupation he’s told to have in there. Something in him seemed off, and it didn’t take long for me to find out he’s in impostor in that household.

“From what I could discover, he started working for the Parks not even one year ago, and he has no degree in fashion or anything fashion related, for the matter. Quite the opposite, really. He’s a choreographer. And it’s just weird as for why they hired him, y’know? They could’ve hired a true professional if it’s a valet they wanted, so the fact that they threw that away in favor of hiring a common dancer from a general dance academy is outright weird. There’s something in there.”

 Jaebum soaked in the information, filing it away for further analysis since Mark didn’t wait for him to comment on that before keep on going with his speech.

“Kim Jisoo started working for the Parks after her mother—their previous maid—died. More like she was adopted by them, since she was still a child when the incident happened.

“My sources told me she didn’t want to feel like a burden to them, so she offered to work for them as soon as she reached an appropriate age. Patriarch Park was said to dote on her dearly, almost to the point of treating her like his daughter—what’s kinda funny, ‘cause I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but she resembles that kid, Park Jinyoung, pretty much. My point is, I didn’t find anything alarming about her, but the whole story seems a bit suspicious in some way. We should keep an eye on her, just in case.”

 Mark picked up their used bows and chopsticks from the table and took them to the sink. He started to wash the dirty dishes, but kept on talking, speaking louder from over his shoulder when the sound of the running water seemed to drown his voice’s.

 Jaebum knew he was only doing all of that to avoid seeing the ugly glare on Jaebum’s face as he accused Youngjae of things. He didn’t voice that out whatsoever.

“And Choi Youngjae, well, he goes almost the same as the Kim Yugyeom dude. He’s the cook’s son, and I guess that’s the only reason he’s working in there, because from what I came to know, he’s an aspiring singer. He even has a SoundCloud account.

“I must say, kid’s got a fucking great voice. But, I don’t know, I have a bad feeling about him. He’s too… correct? That’s not it. I guess he just seems too innocent, and you know what they say, you gotta suspect those more. Angels are demons in white clothing.”

 Ignoring Mark’s creepy smile back at him, Jaebum thought about what he’s been told about the three servants. That’s a shitton of information, but hardly of some good use yet. It’s interesting, though, how everyone had their secrets.

 Surrendering to the idea but still not quite having it, he shot back, “Alright, all of them are not who they’re told to be. But does that really make any of them, a murderer? I mean. What motive would they have—apart from the ridiculous amount of money, that is.”

 Mark turned off the tap, shrugging. “I don’t know, maybe it’s just about the money. Like, Kim Yugyeom may be thinking about expanding his business; buying a bigger studio, making his name as a famous choreographer. Kim Jisoo, who knows, feels like she deserves more for all the time and effort her mother put into that job—that family—before dying? Choi Youngjae aspires to be a singer, so maybe he wants money to make his career take off and himself become famous in the music industry.”

 There were hurried noises coming from outside his house, and Jaebum glanced at the front yard through the floor-to-ceiling windows on his living room before having his attention brought back to Mark, the older man’s voice demanding understanding. “The point, Jaebum, is: getting close to Park Jinyoung and convincing him to leave them a share in his future heritage… that would work well for the three of them. Everyone has motives if you look closely at it.”

 The impatient, hasty rap at the door brought their conversation to an end, and the both of them looked in the direction of the doorway in alarm. Jaebum’s heart sped up as he bolted from the diner table to answer the door. Mark retrieved the large carving knife from the drawer just for precaution.

 Of course, Jaebum should’ve put their safety first before opening his house to what could’ve easily been a stranger or, god forbid, their culprit trying to get rid of them too. But, he was so desperate for news, he didn’t really thought it through. It’s an understatement to say he’s too involved in the case by now.

 The worst was that, Jaebum didn’t care about it anymore.

 Nearly yanking the door out of its hinges, Jaebum opened up to the ragged look of Jackson close to wheeze his lungs out. A thin layer of sweat coated his skin where it showed, hair and clothes both sticky. He must’ve been running for a while to get to that breathless state. It almost looked like he’s going to faint.

“Hyung!,” Jackson coughed as he still tried to regain his breath (and Jaebum, his own). “Why the fuck- why don’t you answer- your phone-” a heavy sigh “I’ve been trying to call you, for almost an hour!”

 Jaebum frowned. He hasn’t checked his phone ever since he received that call at the break of dawn. It wasn’t unlikely it’s ran out of battery somewhere along the line up until now. Fucking shit.

 Seemingly doesn’t having the time to spare, Jackson huffed and shook his head, waving with his hand as if to physically brush that scold aside for now. “Whatever. The point is-” His doe eyes flickered behind him then, and they turned so openly curious and alert Jaebum felt the back of his neck prickling. “Who’s that? He’s holding a knife.”

“Huh?” Looking back, the sight of Mark creeping behind him with a knife resting against his thigh while peering over Jaebum’s shoulder right at Jackson welcomed him. Mark gave him a raised eyebrow in answer to his judging stare. Jaebum pursed his lips, turning back to their guest. “It’s my friend, he works with me, it’s ok. You can tell whatever you came to say in front of him.”

 Jackson seemed to ponder it for a moment, but then he was heaving another deep sigh and letting out, “It’s Mr. Choi. They found him one hour and a half ago.”

 

 For some weird as shit reason, Jaebum liked hospitals. In them, he felt like people had a chance of recovering from whatever illness that embraced them with scrawny fingers, and it gave him the fake sense of security he deeply craved for on the daily.

 He knew that, as soon as he had to see someone he cared for undergoing harsh treatments or simply succumbing to whatever disease that ate their health away, his perception of hospitals in general would change and become sour just as the rest of his world. It happened to his thoughts on libraries, terraces, and bathtubs. It’s just a question of time.

 As for now, however, Jaebum still liked them, and he felt unreasonably reassured as they walked through corridor after corridor, heading to the room Mr. Choi has been installed into. The news that his client was alright apart from a few bruises here and there also worked its magic, he supposed.

 On their way there, Jackson had explained what happened. Long story short, the old man was found on a side road near Apgujeong Rodeo Station, sporting a few bruises and semi-unconscious, lying on the sidewalk. Probably has been thrown there by whomever had kidnapped them. The police were called, along with an ambulance, and they all rushed there. They hoped more pieces of that puzzle would be put together as soon as he felt better enough to speak. Jaebum hoped that too. They still had to find Jinyoung.

 It took them less than ten minutes to arrive at the hospital by car, and besides a bunch of other things, Jaebum learned that Jackson was all sweaty and panting like mad because the man had run all those miles to Jaebum’s house after doesn’t getting to reach him on the phone. It’s admirable; that was a half an hour journey by foot, after all.

 Jackson explained how he’s naturally athletic and even used to compete in running back in high-school. Jaebum hasn’t asked, but he felt glad for the small talk, once his mind would surely wander to where it shouldn’t whether they spent their ten-minute-ride in silence. Mark, on the contrary, kept looking out the windows the whole time.

 Jaebum was still keen to avoid the police for the time being, but he needed to exchange at least a few words with his client right now, so he pretended Mark and he were both servants in the Park household and were there to check on their boss. It’s incredible how easily the office who was sticking close to the door fell for it and even opened the door for them.

 After the whole thing with Jinyoung playing him and seeing right through his act as soon as he put it on, his confidence as an investigator has started to dither, but now, a part of it got restored. Maybe Jaebum just sucked at lying to Jinyoung, after all.

 Mr. Choi was being medicated when they sneaked into his room, visibly more awake and conscious than what he’s told to be when they found him on the street, and Jaebum couldn’t believe his luck. The nurse spared them a polite nod before finishing her task and leaving them alone. The click of the door being shut behind her back mingled with the shaky exhale the old man let out at seeing them there.

“Hello there,” Jackson walked gingerly to the end of the bed, placing a comforting hand on top of what had the shape of Mr. Choi’s clothed feet. Jaebum and Mark choose to stand by the door; Mark because he didn’t have all the intimacy to be acting all friendly and touchy with their client, and Jaebum because the guilty that was eating him alive wouldn’t allow him to.

 Mr. Choi looked at Jackson and tried to smile. It came away awkward. “Hello.” He croaked, and his voice sounded so hoarse, weak and rough. Jaebum winced at the fragility of it.

 Jackson skirted around the bed and reached for the glass of water placed by the side table, offering it to Mr. Choi with such care and attentiveness it almost pained to watch. Mark glanced at Jaebum, probably because he was grinding his teeth with such force his jaw snapped noisily. No one said a word, though.

 They spent a moment like this, where everyone expressed their sorrow and better wishes through compassionate expressions and stiff postures, but when it was almost turning into two minutes of tense silence, Mark gave up and finally asked, “Do you remember what happened, sir?”

“I don’t… remember much.” The elder sighed. “I’ve been… in the library… for almost the entire day. I went to sleep. Late. After the social gathering… ended officially. And then, I woke up to a… what are they called? Those that smell bad, and they use in action movies to make people faint?”

“Chloroform?” Mark supplied.

 Mr. Choi made an agreeing noise in the back of his throat. “That’s it. I woke up to someone… putting it to my face. The next thing I remember… someone was beating me. In the chest, and face. There were three people. They wanted me to… reveal how to open the… safe. I didn’t say. They beat me almost until I fainted, and then… and then I was on the street. And then, here.”

 Jaebum brought his eyebrows together in a frown. They kidnapped his client to try and get the password code of the family’s safe? Then what was the point of taking Jinyoung with them? That didn’t make sense. Unless they’re trying to get him to reveal how to open it as well now that they freed the old man. Maybe they had a conscious after all, and didn’t want to torture such an old chap that much, instead using their full force on Jinyoung. The thought made Jaebum want to puke from nerves.

 Something still didn’t seem right, though. Jaebum (and even Mark, for the matter) had assumed that it all had something to do with the inheritance, and that they’d be coming to kill Jinyoung for the assets that have been passed on to him. Aiming for only the safe… that seemed like a goal set too low. But, that kind of made sense, if he squinted.

 It’s just. Such an elaborated plan to murder the patriarch in a way no one would discover, and then coming after his son and the family’s butler only for whatever quantity of money they had in the safe, was too… disappointing. Jaebum expected more, to say the truth.

 Mr. Choi took another sip from the water Jackson held up for him. The man looked exhausted. Jaebum has heard enough to know his client didn’t have a memory of anything related to Jinyoung, and the lack of details could be due to his current condition, but there wasn’t much he could do to change that right now. They’d have to wait and see if he remembered anything else after recovering fully. They should let the man rest for now.

“You should rest.” He said, and that’s the first time he did so ever since he stepped foot in there. Everyone in the room turned to look at him, but when Mr. Choi’s eyes met his, he suddenly couldn’t hold his gaze for more than a few seconds and looked away.

“Jaebum-nim.” Mr. Choi blinked tiredly. “Where’s Jinyoung-ssi?”

 Jaebum’s face turned as white as a sheet of paper, mouth an uncharacteristic grim line amid his stubble. Mark held his arm from over the light sweater he wore, as if to ground him there, and the fact that _there_ meant in the present, where he was still relatively sane, almost made him laugh hysterically. He breathed, in and out, deeply.

“Eungchan-nim, I’m so sorry,” Jaebum blurted instead, voice barely above a whisper and trailing slowly, like his words were unwilling to take flight. There was sadness in his eyes as he examined the few bluish spots littering the man’s wrinkly skin. They looked painful even though they also had the aspects of being mostly superficial.

 The elder shook his head, seemingly reading between the lines and understanding what he meant, and Jaebum was left wondering whether that meant he didn’t forgive him or the apology wasn’t needed, because that’s all Mr. Choi did before turning his head to the other side and closing his eyes with a sigh.

 When they all left the room, Jaebum wondered, not for the first time and neither for the last, whether things would’ve been different if he hadn’t accepted the job, and thus never entered those people’s lives. Each time he considered that question, he was more certain that it’s all his fault again.

 

 They were making their way out the front door of the hospital when Jaebum’s phone went off in his back pocket. He’d recharged it in the car in their ride there, and even though the battery bar still dangled close to 32%, it’s better than nothing. Jaebum picked it up as they approached his Honda parked on the curb.

 A brief rainfall has started falling while they were inside the building, and small pellets of water still quenched the scattered puddles decorating the asphalt. Fresh sky-fallen trickles sprinkled the screen of his phone as he looked down at it to sweep one thumb over the green button.

 Answering the call with a casual ‘yep’, too fucking exhausted and drained to act professionally, he listened to whatever the caller had to say. The call didn’t last much, fifteen seconds at best. Mainly because Jaebum hang up in his haste to run to his car and get inside. Yugyeom must’ve found it annoying, and the exchange of curious, mildly alarmed looks between Mark and Jackson didn’t go amiss, but Jaebum didn’t really care. Couldn’t care about anything other than the three words that blared off in his ears like bells.

_“We found him.”_

 

 Driving along where he already knew to have a fork in the road a few kilometers ahead, Jaebum couldn’t bring his hands to stop shaking as they gripped the steering wheel with unnecessary strength.

 The foot he had pressed down on the accelerator was pushed as far as it’d go already, and Jackson was gripping the seatbelt around him while Mark held on to the door handle on the backseat. They had agreed on speeding the fuck up after Jaebum shared the news. No one has said anything else afterwards.

 The crossroad looked the same still, but the field sported a few different settings even in the dimness of a cloudy, moonless night. The uniform dark yellow-green of the meadow was now sprinkled with wild flowers, tiny carmine dots among the sea of overgrown grass that waved and rustled in the humid breeze. Those presented themselves as a colorful, yet nocturn dark blur as they sped by.

 Jaebum tried not to have nostalgic thoughts about the scenery, focusing on the road and the flashing red and blue gleam coming in the distance, but his heart still clenched at the memory of Jackson and Jinyoung in their leather jackets, going for a walk in those lands. Jaebum briefly wondered what would’ve happened whether he hadn’t approached them to ask for directions in the first place.

 It should be some kind of a sick joke, Jinyoung getting found right where they met for the first time. The likely made up coincidence was getting on Jaebum’s nerves like pins and needles. Someone had to be playing with him, mocking him, and the anger boiling in his guts made his entire body combust. That case became personal now.

 The sight of the ambulance parked on the side of the road with its doors spread open, and about three or four police vehicles surrounding it on the otherwise desert street, only added up to his nervousness and bile rose to his throat in anticipation. As soon as they were close enough to the scene unrevealing before them, Jaebum sank his foot on the brakes and the tires screeched to a stop over the damp asphalt. They’re out the car even before the engine could be shut off.

 The characteristic earthy smell that lingered after rainfalls was the first thing to greet Jaebum. Humid, fresh and pleasant, the distinct scent of recently wetted soil brought him a moment of serenity that lasted enough to melt the wall of fake strength he’s built around himself.

 Something in that smell, in that place, and in the anticipation of seeing Jinyoung again loosened knots that have been tied inside his core for the past three years, and for some reason, Jaebum felt a despairing want to cry. He panted, overwhelming feelings leaving him breathless.

 Paramedics fumbled around the back of the white van, and loud voices could already be heard when Jaebum strode towards their direction, looking like he was about to raise hell on earth whether someone tried to stop him. No one tried.

“I already said I’m—fuck, that _hurts_ , what’re you doing?—I’m fine.” The sound of that familiar voice, so heartbreakingly shaky, but still petulant and annoyed, knocked out the rest of air Jaebum had in his lungs. It felt like someone was gripping his throat and squeezing, all while kneeling on his chest. It hurt.

 Shoving his way past a few policemen and paramedics, Jaebum ignored the cautious calling of Mark and Jackson somewhere behind him. He hasn’t noticed he was practically running now. Getting the first glimpse of Jinyoung among all those people in the back of the van, he felt the hot prickle of tears. He hasn’t noticed he’s been calling Jinyoung’s name in weak huffs all the way there.

 Jinyoung looked awful. He had a small injury right across the supercilium, and a split lip. Faint purple welts stood out from two different spots on Jinyoung’s ghostly white skin, one high on his cheekbone and other close to where his jaw met the neck, both surely to deepen over the coming week.

 Jinyoung still wore the same clothes he’s worn at the social gathering the day before. There must be more bruises underneath the crumpled black dress shirt and dirtied trousers hugging his limbs. Exhaustion etched every of his expression lines. He looked so fucking small despite the scowl on his injured face and harsh words.

 When Jaebum finally stopped moving, he was standing right in front of Jinyoung, who was still being held down on a chair up in the back of the ambulance while paramedics tended to his wounds. Jinyoung tried to shoo away the petite girl who dabbed at his split lip with a damp cotton swab. Jaebum called his name, this time consciously, and he watched every muscle in the other’s body stiffen automatically.

 Jinyoung turned around to look back at him, and it felt like he was moving in slow-motion. When their eyes finally met, and he saw all the emotions he felt now reflected in that beautiful pair of umber eyes, Jaebum broke down. The first tear to slid down his cheek felt so liberating that many more decided to follow.

 _Jinyoung is fine_ , was all his jumbled mind supplied like a mantra, and Jaebum suddenly couldn’t stop crying from relief. It’s been such a long time since he last cried, it felt foreign to have his eyes aching with the burn of tears and his nose running. Bringing both hands up to press the heels of his fists against his temples, he hiccupped and lowered his head, feeling a headache brewing.

“Why- why are you crying?” Jinyoung stuttered, shocked and taken aback by such emotional reaction coming from the other, but his eyes were suspiciously shiny and red as well. His voice was shaking so much, too.

 Jaebum looked back up at Jinyoung, sniffing, and lowered his hands just so he could support them on the ambulance’s floor and propel himself up, hopping on the van before either of them could properly notice it. The paramedics tried to stop him, but Jinyoung pinned them to their spot with a snappy command to let him be. Nobody else tried to interrupt them after that.

 At seeing Jaebum looming over him, Jinyoung lifted his chin in defiance and nearly yelled, fully taken by emotions, “Why? Are you that unhappy that I managed to escape and am alive and alrigh–”

 Before he could finish his scornful jab, though, the other had stepped into his space and his mouth got rightfully shut by the trembling press of Jaebum’s, the rest of the world slowly falling away around them. The small sound Jinyoung did while hesitantly letting his head tip back even further for a better angle was the sweetest ever.

 Their kiss wasn’t like those innocent, close-mouthed ones, but it wasn’t heated and inebriating either. It sat somewhere in between, more desperate than actually full of passion. Soft, comforting in ways that words would never be. Still, their lips fit like two puzzle pieces for a moment that seemed to drag on forever, and Jaebum exhaled shakily through his nose while bringing both hands to cradle Jinyoung’s face, caressing one flushed cheek as their breaths mingled.

 Just that Jaebum had forgotten about both the split lip and the jaw bruise, and Jinyoung nearly sobbed on his mouth before jerking away with a shudder. “It hurts!” The younger whined, sounding so much like a small child who was being tended after having fallen from their bike and scratched their knee, that Jaebum wanted to just sweep in and kiss him again. Even his lips were jutting out in a pout when Jaebum’s watery eyes fluttered open to stare down at them. They shined with spit, tempting and inviting.

 The both of them were still so close, Jaebum could feel Jinyoung’s warm puffs of breath caressing his cupid’s bow and upper lip, and he was sure Jinyoung could feel his all the way back. Daring to look up, he lost himself in the intensity of those dark irises for the billionth time, and breath caught in his throat.

 Jaebum was just so relieved Jinyoung was safe, tears wouldn’t stop filling eyes in a breakdown of emotions. He’s been so afraid of the past repeating itself, so afraid of losing another person he cared for. It felt like his body was getting rid of all the nervousness and anxiety it’s been holding onto for the past day, and it came away in waves where he shook and gripped onto Jinyoung with more force.

“Stupid.” Jinyoung scowled, grumbling under his breath, and Jaebum was ready to be pushed away, but then there were fingers reaching up to run down his spine and pull him closer until there was no space left between them. It’s in that moment that Jaebum realized how hard Jinyoung was shaking, too.

 It’s a hard position, awkward and uncomfortable where Jaebum was still standing (hunched over Jinyoung, basically) and Jinyoung sitting on the chair. However, Jinyoung’s arm around him felt so grounding, Jaebum instantly sank to his knees between the other’s legs and shuffled forward until he was properly hugging Jinyoung’s middle and burying his face on the crook of his neck. There must be one hell of bruises across his torso too, but Jinyoung didn’t complain about feeling any pain as they were.

 There’s this thought on the back of Jaebum’s mind that urged him to ask Jinyoung what happened, where he have been, and how he’s gotten here. A lot of things were needing explanations, but that wasn’t the right time. Jaebum could interrogate the guy about those things later. Now, he just wanted to feel the moment before it was taken away from him.

 Inhaling Jinyoung’s natural perfume, even though it came away mixed with sweat and the pungent sting of dried blood, Jaebum allowed himself to freely weep on the man’s embrace. There were voices around them, the scent of drenched earth filling his nostrils in a stray blow of wind, but he focused on the featherweight touch of a hand caressing the top of his head with gentle fingers instead. The only thing that mattered then was that Jinyoung was safe and sound, hugging him close.

 Jaebum could feel the beating of Jinyoung’s heart right against his shoulder, and it reassured him to realize it was beating as fast as his was.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HEEEHEHEHEEHE THE FIRST KISS IS FINALLY HERE!!!
> 
> i pondered so hard where the first kiss would happen. the first option was during their fight in the kitchen before hell broke loose but then the scene just wrote itself and there wasn't how they'd kiss in that chaotic setting (even tho i'd have found it hot lmfao). this one seemed a lot better tbh it came away cute and heavily emotional but i loved how we got to see such a fragile side of jb and he let the others see it too SO YEP I LOVED THIS LAST SCENE SO FREAKING MUCH
> 
> another thing, many of you thought jb was gonna rescue jinyoung and i was like hehhehehe reading the comments bc that's the most likely thing to happen in these stories i mean prince charming coming to the rescue etc BUT jinyoung has been strong, smart and has proven to know how to deceive people and defend himself all the while so he was totally capable of escaping somehow and it'd make a lot of sense for things to happen that way instead :D ahhhh i loved vulnerable jb and self-sufficient jinyoung in here!
> 
> anyway i hope yall liked this chap! till the next update and merry christmas in advance wooooohhh


	10. Ten

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> happy birthday jaebum!!!!!

 

 Despite Jinyoung’s fervent protests, everyone found it better to take him to the hospital, where he could be taken care of properly. Said ‘everyone’ referring basically to Jaebum, because it’s only after he’d pretty much grounded they _were_ going to the hospital that Jinyoung finally relented. The paramedics that treated Jinyoung until then all looked at Jaebum with unwavering gratitude in their tired eyes.

 Jaebum accompanied Jinyoung in the ambulance, having given his Honda’s keys to Mark so he could take Jackson there and they all met back at the emergency building. He sat on the narrow bench made for companions, and Jinyoung was lying on his back on the gurney only because Jaebum forced him to.

 Jaebum has long since stopped weeping, but he still sniffed a bit from time to time. Jinyoung has chosen to stare at the white ceiling of the van instead of looking in Jaebum’s direction, closing his eyes and resting for a few moments occasionally. They didn’t talk about _it_ , and the mood stayed awkward the entire ride.

 The worst was that, Jaebum couldn’t bring himself to stop staring at Jinyoung’s peachy lips, and he knew that it’s because he wanted to taste them again. That was absurd, to want such thing; but Jaebum wanted it. And despite being a strong believer that the kiss has only happened due to his overly emotional state at that moment, he didn’t regret it. Jinyoung’s lips had the coppery taste of blood when Jaebum foolishly kissed him on an impulse, but in Jaebum’s honest opinion, nothing has tasted so sweet before.

 And Jinyoung kept playing with them now, deeply lost in thoughts with his eyes focused on the ceiling, unconsciously thumbing at the tender flesh. He would flick the very tip of a wet tongue over the small cut on the bottom one every once in a while. Jaebum would lick his own lips in a trance, and then snap out of it and huff in frustration before turning away to look out the small windows in the front seat from over the headrest. He really wanted to kiss Jinyoung again.

“You can just ask, y’know.”

 Jaebum almost hit his head on the van wall behind him with how hard he flinched and whipped around at the sound of Jinyoung’s voice. Those sharp eyes were focused on him now. Jinyoung was still rolling his plush lower lip between one thumb and forefinger as he studied Jaebum with an unreadable expression.

 Jaebum tried not to look too much like a deer caught in headlights, but he was sure his widened eyes and slight parted mouth weren’t helping much. Jinyoung didn’t comment on that, though; he just waited, and waited, and waited, playing with that damned red lip. Jaebum felt the urge to smack him in the face, but it was already too damaged to handle another swing. Another time, then.

“Ask what?” He dodged, pretending to be clueless.

 Jinyoung blinked, calculating. Finally freeing his lip from the pinching abuse (and Jaebum from his inner torture), he offered, “You can ask what happened.”

 Oh, _that_. Jaebum had almost forgotten about the whole kidnapping ordeal and the hell they’ve all been through for the past 24 hours, brain too busy liberating the enormous amount of stress out of his system and mind too engrossed in the absurd redness of Jinyoung’s mouth. Of course, he should ask what happened. And Jinyoung seemed ready to talk about it, if himself offering to talk about it was clue enough.

 The ambulance swayed on the road for one moment or two, maybe changing lanes or just avoiding some hole in the asphalt, and then resumed its smooth glide. Assuming a more serious and stiff posture, Jaebum shifted on his seat. “Do you remember what happened that night?”

 Something dark and cold crossed Jinyoung’s countenance, tainting it with a colorless palette of fear, confusion, and determination. Jaebum wanted to reach out and hold his hand to maybe offer some sort of comfort to the other, and he actually did just so. Jinyoung looked at him, down at their entangled fingers, and then back up at him. His pretty eyes flashed something warmer then.

“I do remember arguing with you, and then going back to my room.” Jinyoung spoke softly. “My friends saw the state I was in and left not much after that. I stayed in my room for the rest of the time, and fell asleep somewhere along the line. And then…”

 There’s a pause, and Jinyoung looked down at their interlaced fingers once again. Jaebum squeezed his hand, reassuringly. Jinyoung, being himself, just snorted at that.

“And then, well, I woke up to two guys breaking into my room and coming at me with some smelly shit on a flannel. They were wearing black masks over their faces, so I couldn’t see who they were. We fought, but I- they were two, and they were stronger than me. I might’ve left some bruises in them, because I kicked and threw punches left and right, but in the end, I was knocked out.

“My temple hurts, right here,” he pointed to a swollen bruise kissing his hairline. “so I figure I hit it somewhere. I blackened out. They might’ve used that smelly drug on me then, because I only woke up again this evening.”

“What happened next?” Jaebum asked. “When you woke up, what happened?”

“We… were moving?” The hesitant look that bloomed on Jinyoung’s face showed how unsure of that part he himself was. “I guess we were moving. I mean, we weren’t in any kind of room, or, or some abandoned shed. We were in the back of a van, sort of. It could’ve been a truck, too. It just was spacious, and made of some kind of steel, I think. And it seemed like we kept riding in circles, like, there’s this speed bump on the road where we kept bumping over and over again.

“I woke up, and I was tied up, blindfolded, and lying on my side. It could’ve been a great sexy sight if those were different circumstances, but the way they were, it was just uncomfortable as fuck.”

 Jaebum ignored that part, even though he knew that was Jinyoung’s way of easing the mood and softening the weight of his words. He silently waited for the other to speak up again.

 Jinyoung, noticing how the tease hasn’t quite worked this time, pouted a bit and squirmed on his spot with a grunt. It seemed like his back hurt. “Anyway. As we rode, I just kept on trying to get rid of the rope around my wrist as discreetly as I could. The others were talking about the money they’d get after that job, and how they had to make sure nobody would find me after today, but I couldn’t hear them well so that’s pretty much about it.”

“Did they talk to you any time? Like, asking for some kind of information, or maybe a code for something?”

“No? We didn’t talk.”

 Earlier that night, Jaebum has already found Mr. Choi’s recounting of events pretty much off, but that piece of information Jinyoung gave him just made things even weirder. Because them taking Jinyoung away would’ve made sense if the perpetrators were interrogating them both for the safe’s code, but since only Mr. Choi has been asked about it, it was weird.

 For what Jinyoung was saying, their sole purpose was to get rid of him and make sure he was never found again. He wouldn’t have been spared even if he was to reveal the combination to them, that is, if they ever came to ask about it. So what was the point of freeing his butler without even getting that information out of him either?

 The puzzle pieces seemed to be all there, waiting to be matched and clicked together, but Jaebum still couldn’t connect the dots. That was just plain weird.

 Choosing to leave that for later, Jaebum asked instead. “How did you get away?”

“After listening to them moving about for a while, I picked up on how they’d stop for a smoke or a pee every once in a while. It’s like they were only spending time, waiting for some signal so they could act. And then they got a call, which I suppose was the signal they’re waiting for. I managed to loosen the ropes around my wrists eventually, and when I freed myself, I waited for the next stop.

“They were more agitated than usual then, so I figured my time was running out, so as soon as I heard the backdoor opening, I hastily took away the blindfold and got the hell outta there. They were so shocked they didn’t even react fast enough to stop me. And when they finally did, they were shouting and running after me on the street.

“But, I’m pretty good at hiding—especially after I had to find the most creative ways to hide from you every day—and I had the advantage, so I stuck to some dumpsters on a back alley and they passed by, unsuspecting. I don’t know how much time I spent there, but when I got out, I just ran aimlessly on the opposite direction.

“Somehow, I ended up on that field, and I called for help. The first car that stopped for me called the police and well, the rest you can already figure.” Jinyoung finished with a sigh, and they both looked out the front window when the ambulance slowed down to stop. They were arriving at the hospital.

 Jaebum felt another wave of guilt washing over him, and his throat itched with the desire to close in anguish. The things Jinyoung has gone through, all because he wasn’t there to protect him, too occupied being mad at some stupid prank.

 He squeezed the slender fingers between his own again, tighter, and his stormy emotions reflected in his expression as he forced out through the lump in his throat, “Jinyoung, I’m so sorry. If I had stayed…” his voice trailed off, becoming each second lower and shakier. If he had stayed, he could’ve done something to help. Funny how he was never there when someone needed him.

 This time, Jinyoung squeezed his fingers back, and the look on his face when Jaebum chanced one glance up was so soft and reassuring, Jaebum held his breath. “If you had stayed, I would’ve found another way to push you away.” Jinyoung smiled, the crooked kind of one Jaebum has learned to love. “It wasn’t your fault.”

 Those words echoed in Jaebum’s mind as the paramedics entered the van by the backdoor and they all took him to the emergency room, and it reverberated through his every bone for the entire duration of Jinyoung’s thoroughly checkup. _It wasn’t your fault._ Jaebum knew Jinyoung was talking about the events from yesterday and today both, but he couldn’t help letting the reassurance echo all the way to the one from three years ago.

 It wasn’t his fault. Maybe Jaebum could start thinking like that.

 

 Jaebum still couldn’t stop staring at Jinyoung’s lips.

 Throughout the entire duration of Jinyoung’s stay in the hospital (that lasted only a couple of days, for better treatment of his injuries), and their ride home as soon as he got discharged, Jaebum kept stealing glances and being not very subtle about it. It felt like he was hypnotized by the very sight of them. It’s starting to get ridiculous.

 Jinyoung didn’t seem to mind it, however. Jaebum thought it’d be better if the guy just called him on it, scolded him or whatever, but Jinyoung seemed at ease and even comfortable with Jaebum’s new bullshit. That was kind of annoying. Just like the fact that they haven’t talked about the kiss yet.

 But then, no one haven’t really. Mark and Jackson have seen it, they’re there when it happened, but for some sacred reason, nobody was bringing the matter to the table and just acting like nothing out of ordinary has occurred.

 Jaebum knew Mark for great part of his life, so he knew the man was just waiting for the right moment to bring it up and confront him about it, just like he did when Jaebum had accepted Mr. Choi’s proposal of a case and he stuck to silently brooding until the end of their shift, where he rightfully snapped and let out the dogs on Jaebum. That was a very Mark thing, so Jaebum knew what to expect.

 Jackson, on the contrary, he didn’t know why the man was so quiet about the whole issue. He supposed it’s because they weren’t all that close for such approach yet, even though their ice-cream date has seemed like a good bonding activity, nonetheless. Maybe Jackson just needed time to start teasing him about it. Jaebum wasn’t very anticipating of it whatsoever.

 The worst part of not talking things out was the heavy, awkward mood that descended upon them then. The feeling that everyone was aware of the elephant in the room yet no one dared to talk about it was insufferable, and Jaebum found himself tightening his hold around the steering wheel more than once. Mark, Jackson and Jinyoung, though, remained unfazed while gazing out their respective windows.

 It’s only when Jaebum parked his Honda on the small front yard he used as a garage by his house that Jinyoung opened his mouth to speak. “I still don’t see why I have to stay here.”

 After the incident, it’s been settled that Jinyoung would be staying at Jaebum’s home until they could figure out that whole murder shit that was already taking a tool on them. It’s been Jaebum the one to settle it, by the way. Jinyoung has refuted the idea right away, saying that that was exaggerated and he could take care of himself perfectly fine at his own home. Jaebum just ignored his protests and did what he deemed better.

 Eventually, Jinyoung relented and accepted things as they were, but he still would complain and grumble about the unfair agreement every so often.

“It’s not safe in your house at the moment.” Jaebum rebuked, clicking his seatbelt off after killing the engine.

 Jinyoung’s petulant pout would be adorable if it weren’t getting on Jaebum’s nerves already. “I could stay at Jackson’s.”

 That… was a fair point, actually. Jinyoung didn’t really have to stay specifically at Jaebum’s if the whole purpose of him moving out was to get him away from danger. Staying at Jackson’s would be a great move too, and Jinyoung might even feel more comfortable in there since the two of them were close friends.

 But Jaebum was selfish, childish, and he wanted Jinyoung to stay with him, under his roof, so he could keep an eye on the guy like he failed to do the last time. It’s decided that way, and he didn’t intend on changing his mind.

 Pretending to be busy picking up his things from the small compartment between them, Jaebum didn’t look up as he said, “I can’t protect you at Jackson’s.”

“Am I asking you to protect me?”

“Are you gonna start with this shit again? Really?” Jaebum snapped, letting their eyes meet as he raised his head. They glared at one another for a moment, and Jaebum could sense Mark and Jackson’s cautious gazes burning the sides of their faces from the backseat, but he held his ground and only looked away when Jinyoung did it first.

“I just–” Jinyoung bit his bottom lip, chewing on the spot the superficial cut scarred the flesh. He looked like he wanted to say something else, but he ended up sighing and settled for saying, “Forget it.” One second later, and he was slipping out the door with a soft hiss leaving his mouth, the bruises still tender underneath his big sweater. Jaebum watched him go with a wronged feeling scratching his chest.

“He could really stay at my house.” Jackson said, hesitantly. “He’d feel comfortable in there.”

 Jaebum spared one last glance at Jinyoung through the windshield before nodding. “I know, Jackson. It’s me who wouldn’t.” He threw over his shoulder, not really waiting for another comment as he stepped out the car and walked to the front porch. Mark and Jackson followed him in knowing silence.

 

 Jinyoung has been advised tons of rest and, if necessary, painkillers for his recovery time at home, so Jaebum gave him one pill and sent him to bed barely an hour after they’ve arrived.

 Jinyoung was annoyed, told him he was exaggerating (again) and pissing him off already, but complied as soon as the bruises spread across his chest and back, and the bump on his head, started to throb altogether. He had had a few broken ribs and a concussion, after all. Those needed more than a week to properly heal.

 The worst of having a break from keeping his eyes trained on Jinyoung, was that then they’d finally see the way Mark kept watching him from the living area. Jackson was being subtler about it, but sometimes he’d catch the small smirk the blond would send his way.

 Jaebum grinded his teeth together before finally heaving a deep sigh, flopping down on the only vacant seat on his couch, conveniently between the other two men in the room. They stared at the TV in awkward silence for almost five minutes straight even though everyone knew nobody was actually watching it.

“Well, at least Jinyoungie is resting now.” It’s Jackson the one to speak first, but the mood remained dense. He cleared his throat. “And it has come to my knowledge that Mr. Choi is recovering well, too. He might be discharged soon. Thank god.”

 Despite Mr. Choi’s injuries having been lighter and more superficial than Jinyoung’s, for his advanced age, he had to stay longer in the hospital so his state could be fully stabilized before they got to send him home safely. Jinyoung was stronger, healthier still, so he could spend his recovery at home. Mr. Choi’s was believed to be better treated in there.

 Jaebum hummed. “That’s good. We can talk to him again then.” He looked around and gestured with his hands in need of explaining it further. “Y’know. About what happened.”

“Talking about what happened is always nice.” Mark quipped, eyes still trained on the fried chicken commercial streaming, expression devoid of anything save for the witty slope of his smile. Jackson snickered, lowly, and that was the clue that they weren’t talking about the old butler anymore. Jaebum sighed again, leaning back against the backrest.

 So, it seemed like they’d be having _that_ talk. It should’ve bothered him, how he was having that talk with the two people who least had anything to do with it before having it with– well, he should be bothered. The weird was that he was, in fact, relieved. Confronting those two instead of Jinyoung himself felt abnormally better at the moment. To Mark and Jackson, he could just tell them to fuck off. To Jinyoung… it’s different.

“It was just a kiss.” Jaebum stated, trying to come away as nonchalant with a half-hearted shrug.

“It didn’t look like just a kiss. Physically, yeah, but mentally,” Jackson whistled, “that was so much more than just a kiss. You were sobbing, dude.”

“People do that when they’re emotionally exhausted, Jackson, they cry. The roller-coaster of feelings I went through in those two days would make anyone cry.”

“I’d never seen you cry before.” Mark pointed out, and it was so softly and laced with caution that Jaebum actually winced.

 That was true; he didn’t remember crying in front of Mark (or anyone else for that matter) before, even though they’d already gone through many hells together and their friendship lasted more than any other relationship Jaebum’s ever had with anyone in his life—being they family or not.

 Mark didn’t get to see him cry over his aunt’s death. Mark didn’t get to see him cry over Eunjeong’s, either. Mark didn’t get to see him cry simply because Jaebum hadn’t cried over any of those.

 One of Jaebum’s bad habits was to bottle up his emotions, hiding his feelings and bearing with the heavy weight of them alone. He wouldn’t allow anyone else to see the heart-wrenching pain he carried inside himself, wouldn’t shed tears that gave away how far too broken he was. For the others, because he didn’t want to seem weak; for Mark, because he didn’t want Mark to worry further than he already did.

 That, however, didn’t mean Mark didn’t get to see him suffer and almost lose his mind to depression in many occasions throughout their story together. Because that, he certainly did. It’s been stupid and pretty naïve of Jaebum to think Mark would only worry over his tears and not the constant state of paranoia he used to live in a while back, but they ended up putting the crying on a different level entirely. Especially because it’d never pop up during ‘normal’ crisis.

 It almost made it seem like Jaebum crying was the lowest of his lows, a rare trait where he’d succumb to the feelings he tried to hide so hard for so long, and breakdown.

 And in that day that they found Jinyoung, that day Jaebum kissed him as if his sanity could only be restored through the warm reassurance that only Jinyoung’s lips could provide, in that emotionally charged day where his bottle had become so full it overflew in currents, Jaebum had sobbed.

 He couldn’t even imagine how hard that sudden outburst of his might’ve impacted Mark then. For someone that has grown tremendously overprotective of him throughout the years, and considered his tears as a flashing red flag, it must’ve been such a shock. It must’ve been terrifying.

 And now that Jaebum turned to pay his undivided attention on his best friend, he could see all the signs of someone who was worried sick and in need of some comfort himself. Jaebum felt so sorry for always being a nuisance in Mark’s life, worrying him and depending on him. He wished Mark could worry about himself more instead.

 Without thinking too much, Jaebum surged forward and enveloped Mark in the tightest hug they’ve ever shared, draping himself over the other on the couch. Mark made a high-pitched noise of surprise close to his ear, and he may have been crushing those slim limbs with the amount of force he was putting into that unbearably tight hug, but he felt grateful.

 Be thankful for the small things.

 Jaebum was utterly thankful for having Mark.

“Are you gonna kiss me too?” Mark spluttered, sounding breathless and slightly panicked. Jaebum couldn’t hold in the peals of laughter that left his mouth at that, warm and light like never before. The pressure of Mark’s hands going up to reciprocate the hug (even that only for a brief moment) was wonderful.

 Jaebum parted away with a scolding shove against Mark’s shoulder, but his lips were still trying to restrain one too wide of a smile. They shared a look that spoke louder than any word ever would. Despite the unusualness of that, Mark understood where Jaebum was coming from.

 The hard lines on Mark’s expression softened. “You’re surely turning into a big softie, Im Jaebum.” He teased, but there wasn’t any malice in it. In fact, that statement overflowed with tenderness, admiration and a sense of pride Jaebum didn’t quite understand, but would accept willingly if that meant Mark was happy with such outcome.

 Still, he made sure to roll his eyes and curse his friend under his breath if only to keep the appearances. Once the affectionate moment ended, they instantly went back to the main subject—the kiss—much to Jaebum’s chagrin.

“Having an emotional breakdown isn’t a motive to sweep in and kiss another person, though.” Jackson refuted. The sharp glint on his doe eyes was much like Jinyoung’s when he saw through Jaebum’s lies and excuses right away.

“It was for me at that time.” Jaebum insisted, stubbornly, just because he himself didn’t want to look deeper into the motives that led him to do what he did. He simply felt like kissing Jinyoung; it’s been more like an impulse at the spur of the moment than anything else, really. That explanation sat well with him.

 Noticing how dense Jaebum was, and sharing a further confirming look with Mark, Jackson gave up. Throwing his hands into the air, he flopped back on the couch’s cushions. “You two are the worst. I don’t want to be a part of this drama anymore.”

 Jaebum grumbled, “Then don’t be.” And the two of them ended up sticking their tongues out at each other. It seemed like the talk was ended and the matter settled just like that, nobody saying anything else for a long while.

 They focused on the TV again for a whole five minutes before Jackson was suddenly mumbling, voice still laced with resentment and pettiness, “I’m the only one who didn’t get a big hug.”

“You don’t deserve it.” Jaebum shot back right away, uncaring for the look of betrayal that blossomed on the other’s face. They started to bicker about it, but since most of the talk was about how cruel Jaebum was and how that was unfair, Mark tuned out in favor of sticking to his thoughts.

 Great, now he had two children to take care of. Three, if that Jinyoung dude was as dense as Jaebum was. Mark sighed, standing up to busy himself with making dinner for them all, leaving Jaebum and Jackson to bite each other’s head off in the living area.

 

 Jinyoung woke up somewhere close to dinner time.

 Jaebum heard him moving about in the guestroom he’d accommodated him in, and even though the man hasn’t called or asked for help at any moment, Jaebum still hovered close to the door each half an hour for good measure.

 At some point, he’d heard the sound of water running, so he assumed Jinyoung has opted to take a shower before coming out again. Maybe to shave the stubble beard he’s been rocking ever since he was discharged from the hospital.

 There hasn’t been a day that didn’t go with Jinyoung complaining about how much he hated it, pointing out Jaebum’s wasn’t any better for that matter, so it made sense he wanted to take it all off as soon as possible. What was a pity, because Jaebum thought Jinyoung looked really good with it. More mature.

 Jaebum smiled to himself at the thought of Jinyoung’s reaction had he ever said that to him. Ending his round, he went back to the kitchen, where Jackson helped Mark to chop vegetables. Apparently, Jackson was staying for dinner too.

 The thought that his tiny and very private circle of friends was slowly growing crossed his mind, and with it came an unfamiliar ache that didn’t feel like any other ache he’s ever had. Deep inside, Jaebum knew that that wouldn’t last. One day in a future not much far away from there, Mark and he would’ve to come back to their home, and everything they lived in there would be archived just like another case.

 They’ve gone through many episodes like that before, of course, but this time it felt different. This time… this time, Jaebum honestly cared about those people. And it’d be his heart the one to long for something he once had, or had been really close to.

 The thought depressed him, but he forced the churning in his stomach to cease. That’s the way things were, after all. Sheep were still dumb.

 

 The dinner got ready a while later, but Jinyoung still hasn’t exited his bedroom.

 Seeing how Jaebum wouldn’t stop coming and going from the corridor, too stupid and hesitant to act for himself, Mark ran out of patience and made him go see if everything was alright with _their_ guest. Jaebum, failing miserably at concealing his eagerness to comply, rushed to the guestroom and rapped on the door.

 Rustling sounds echoed from the inside, distant but perceptive since Jaebum all but glued his ear to the wood. Nobody answered the first time he knocked, neither the second, but it was on his third attempt that the rustle came followed by a mute thud and a hiss. _“What?”_

“Jinyoung?” Jaebum called despite the man having just answered his insistent knocking.

_“Yeah, what?”_

“Dinner is ready. You have to eat, so your meds won’t be too offensive to your stomach.”

 _“Thanks, doc.”_ Jinyoung mocked, and Jaebum couldn’t find it in himself to get annoyed by it. Maybe Mark was right, he indeed was turning into a big softie. What a disaster. _“I’ll be out in a minute, hold on.”_

 Jaebum hummed his understanding and waited.

 And waited.

 And waited.

 And when it made almost ten minutes he was standing there waiting, Jaebum restlessly knocked on the door again. “Jinyoung, what’s wrong? Are you alright?”

 There were a few more thuds and hisses before footsteps could be heard through the heavy oak. When Jinyoung finally opened the door, it was to look at Jaebum through a thin sliver, only half of his face visible as he peeked out the gap.

 Jaebum watched him hesitate for another minute, and then Jinyoung was puffing his cheeks and pouting. He was kind of doing that a lot lately. “Can you help me?”

  Without thinking twice, Jaebum promptly nodded his head. Jinyoung casted him one last wary look before stepping back and opening the door further. Jaebum slowly stepped in, closing the door behind him and catching the sight of the other walking across the room and back to the centre of the bathroom to stand in front of the mirror. Air left him in a low gasp as soon as his brain registered the undressed state Jinyoung was then.

 Standing by the sink, Jinyoung took his eyes from his reflection on the mirror to gaze back at Jaebum from under his eyelashes. Freshly out of shower, small droplets of water still kissed his blushing pink skin, running down the expanse of his exposed chest and back as if that was a competition to see which melted against the waistband of his shorts first.

 Jinyoung’s chocolate brown hair was drenched from the bath, haphazardly swept up and out of his forehead, and it occasionally dripped on the tiles with a tender wet noise. The welts on his cheekbone and jaw stood out, bluish and purplish strokes added to his skin, but the flush of warmth that spread all the way up his chest, nose and ears subdued the detrimental edge to them.

 Jaebum gulped, throat suddenly feeling dry. It probably has something to do with how humid and stuffy it was in there, clouds of steam curling around them as they breezed past to escape by the open door. It surely didn’t have anything to do with the way Jinyoung’s silhouette glistened under the fluorescent light.

“What you–” Jaebum cleared his throat, willing his voice to sound less pathetically shaky than it did. “What did you want my help with?”

“I can’t reach my back. It hurts if I try too hard.” Jinyoung explained. There was a small tube held tight between his fingers, and realization slowly dawned on Jaebum when he recognized it as the special ointment the doctor had prescribed for the many bruises creating an ugly mosaic on Jinyoung’s body.

“Oh.” It took him another minute or so for it to fully sink in. “ _Oh_ , so you want me to put it on your back?”

 Jinyoung pursed his lips, lightly, and then turned around to stare at the mirror again. His small nod of head was everything Jaebum got as a response. And by the straightening of his shoulders the moment Jaebum made up his mind and stepped closer, he wasn’t very comfortable with that setting. Jaebum wasn’t, either.

  Besides not talking about their kiss, they haven’t talked about their fight in the kitchen either, and it showed in every heavy breath they took whenever they’re together. The tension between them was an aftereffect of that still, especially now that their minds weren’t clouded by the adrenaline of the entire rescue and treatment of Jinyoung anymore.

 They’d said harsh things to each other, and even though the way they’d said it was the worst possible, it has been all true. Nothing could change that. And they both were painfully conscious of it, and of all the things left unsaid between them. Maybe that’s what made everything worse.

 Jaebum awkwardly stood behind Jinyoung, trying to ignore the familiar eucalypt scent of his soap coming off the younger’s body. The ointment tube got handled to him, and he might’ve brushed the back of his knuckles against the skin only to confirm it still was as warm as it seemed. It did. Jaebum watched Jinyoung shiver almost imperceptively with rapt attention.

 He poured a fair amount of the ointment onto his fingers and softly rubbed them together, leaving the uncapped tube on the counter right beside the sink. The first touch of his fingertips against Jinyoung’s skin felt like it burned, and by the small hiss Jinyoung let out while jerking away, he’d felt it too. That probably was due to the ointment for Jinyoung’s part, but Jaebum couldn’t help wondering if the prickle underneath his own skin had the same motive. It likely didn’t.

 That wasn’t something Jaebum was used to doing, and his touch felt pretty much clumsy where it glided over the moist dip between shoulder blades. Accidently poking the flesh way harder than intended, he instantly retreated his hand at Jinyoung’s first whimper.

 Blood rushed in his ears and colored the apples of his cheeks carmine when the guy squirmed, bracing himself against the edges of the sink and throwing him a stern look from over one shoulder. Jinyoung had his brow knitted and his red, red mouth parted around controlled pants then. “Be gentle.” He gritted, turning back around to leave Jaebum with his heart threatening to break out his ribcage.

 The atmosphere was taking a dangerous turn from the one it should, apparently. The tension was still there, but it was slowly morphing into a _different_ kind of tension as the seconds ticked away. Jaebum felt more out of breath now than when the bathroom was immersed in steam. That shouldn’t be good.

 Jaebum took a deep breath, pressing the pads of his fingers back onto the straining muscle, carefully palming the blooming purple welt laid across Jinyoung’s scapula. His other hand soon joined, helping to apply the medicine allover the back muscles in long flowing movements. It felt pretty much like a massage after a while.

 Jinyoung would still hiss lowly every now and again, back arching despite himself. The dark blotches tainting his torso weren’t many, but they were wide, and Jaebum was keen in tending to them with the same amount of firm yet gentle pressure.

 It felt so strange, holding Jinyoung closer than at arm’s-length and caressing his back in smooth circles. The memory of their fight in the kitchen that fated day was still so vivid in Jaebum’s mind, even though it now felt like it’s happened a long time ago. Sharing such intimate moment with someone he used to butt heads with felt pretty much like a bad joke.

 The worst was that Jaebum couldn’t bring himself to dislike that turn of events, even while being scared as fuck and having the urge to bolt every time one look from Jinyoung would make his skin tingle.

 There was this one bruise that took the whole curve of Jinyoung’s hip, beginning from his dainty waist and disappearing somewhere past his shorts’ waistband. Jaebum’s touch was almost ticklish as it skirted down Jinyoung’s spine, aiming for the considerably lighter injury with agonizing delicacy, but the breathy gasp that tumbled off Jinyoung’s lips then caused his fingers to twitch and end up gripping the jutting bone with more force.

 This time, though, Jinyoung didn’t jerk away from him.

 Jaebum gazed up when he sensed Jinyoung twisting his body around, mouth unconsciously hanging open at the expression on the other’s face. It’s heavy, sultry, and the only word Jaebum could think of for the way those half-lidded eyes were looking back at him was _challenging_.

 The sweet tremor that traveled underneath his flesh like a surge of electricity caused his hold to twitch around Jinyoung’s hip again, and Jaebum licked his lips moist after watching the meek fluttering of the man’s eyelashes at that.

 None of them seemed to mind the fact that Jaebum’s hand was pretty much clean from the ointment already by now. That didn’t seem to matter, as the only thing they could think about then was how they could feel each other’s warmth inebriating both of their senses slowly. They’ve gravitated closer and closer somewhere along the line, the swell of Jinyoung’s ass only a few centimeters away from Jaebum’s thighs.

 Jaebum’s eyes descended to that pair of supple lips again, like they’ve been doing for the entire time they were together, and they caught the bobbing of an Adam’s apple when Jinyoung gulped. “Want me to apply on the front, too?” He breathed, and it’s unbelievable how deep his voice came out. Jaebum felt hot allover.

“I already did.” Jinyoung stated, but he was turning around even so. Their bodies brushed together as he moved, and some of the droplets sprinkled over Jinyoung’s arms were swept dry by Jaebum’s grey shirt.

 Once they were facing each other, Jaebum leaned closer to support his weight on the sink, left hand grasping at the edge by one side of Jinyoung’s hips and right hand dazedly reaching up to touch the flatness of an abdomen. Jinyoung squirmed at the contact, breath hitching where another noise got stuck in his throat. Jaebum’s eyes flashed up, searchingly, and his hand became bolder once he saw how hard Jinyoung was biting on his bottom lip while watching the curious mapping done on the lines of his body.

 Jinyoung was pushing onto Jaebum’s palm, urging it further up his torso, and as his featherweight touch inched closer to one of the nipples, Jaebum swore he heard the faintest calling of his name ever, exhaled in a needy huff. Jaebum felt the stir in his pants just as the bedroom door swung open unceremoniously, fingertip grazing ever so slightly over the sensitive flesh of the areola before the moment got shattered with the weight of a thousand suns.

“Jaebum, why are you taking so– _oh_ ,” Mark stopped dead on his tracks, eyes widened in honest shock before a crazy grin spread across his lips, morphing into a teasing smirk as soon as he noticed how both Jaebum and Jinyoung had practically jumped out of their skin at being caught in such compromising position and were now standing each on one side of the bathroom, looking awkward and embarrassed as fuck. Mark couldn’t hold in a wicked chuckle. “Oh-ho, I was gonna ask why were you taking so long to come have dinner, but it seems like you’re already eating, huh.”

“S-Shut up!” Jaebum nearly screeched. Their heady moment in the bathroom has ended as fast as it had started, and he looked miserably panicked and at the verge of dying from embarrassment now. Mark barked a laugh at that reaction, and Jaebum jumped on him to drag him out there.

 Jaebum was practically tackling Mark to the ground when he nervously glanced back at Jinyoung, catching a glimpse of him still leaned against the sink, one hand sweeping his sleek hair back up again, eyes lost on the tiled floor.

 The last thing Jaebum saw before bolting from the room—and situation altogether—under the excuse of murdering his best friend, was the pretty shade of pink that dusted Jinyoung’s chubby cheeks and large ears.

 

 Even though Jaebum has thought Mark’s approach of the issue had happened at the living room before dinner, he soon realized the true confront about the kiss was still yet to come. And it came, as they both laid in bed together to sleep later that night.

 Mark hasn’t shared about what he’s seen in the bathroom during diner time, acting like nothing had happened even though he’d still smirk at Jaebum and Jinyoung’s anxious fidgeting. Jaebum would kick his shin under the table then, accidently kicking Jackson’s as well, and then the blond would spend the rest of their meal together being petty.

 It’s at that moment that Jaebum noticed how much of a whiny shit Jackson was, but his exaggerated behavior kind of helped distracting everyone from Mark’s occasional teasing, so it didn’t really bother him.

 Of course, Jackson seemed to pick up on the strange mood after a while anyway, and he kept nudging Jinyoung with an elbow and furrowing his brow in question. Jinyoung would brush him off with a quiet “later”, and then Jackson would play hurt and they’d bicker. Jinyoung and Jackson actually bickered a lot.

 With the end of their dinner came Jackson’s time to go home, since Jaebum didn’t have many vacant rooms in his house and had already agreed to share his bed with Mark while Jinyoung took the guestroom for himself. Jaebum had even offered Jackson the couch, but the other declined it politely.

 It was late, but Jackson argued that he didn’t live that far away from there and thus would be fine, and then took his leave after a few hushed words exchanged with Jinyoung. Jaebum didn’t ask what that was about, didn’t want to intrude and come away as a nosy prick, but by the furtive look they both threw him before Jackson was wiggling his eyebrows back at Jinyoung, it was about him. Jackson then left with a merry grin stretching his lips, and Jaebum found himself wishing his hearing was better than average.

 They’ve been so busy consciously avoiding standing too close to one another after the episode in the bathroom, that Jaebum didn’t even get to properly say anything else to Jinyoung for the night. The most they exchanged before each retreated to their designed rooms with awkward _goodnight_ s, were heavy stares that, more often that not, left the fine hair by Jaebum’s nape standing on end.

 And Jaebum knew Mark has been watching them silently the entire evening, only waiting for the perfect moment to strike just like a sly snake did to its prey, therefore he could only sigh when he felt his friend propping himself up on one elbow to better look down at him as they both shared the mattress.

“Are you gonna talk to me about it willingly, or will I have to force it out of you?” Mark pressed, voice barely above a soft murmur. He must think the walls were thin just like the ones back in Jaebum’s apartment in Sinsa. Jaebum wasn’t sure whether he was right or not. “I can do both really, so I’m letting you choose.”

“What do you want me to say?” He grumbled back.

 Mark’s tired sigh came next. “Jaebum.” He chastised, nudging the back of Jaebum’s shoulder until the latter gave up and rolled onto his back to stare somewhere above their heads.

“I don’t know, hyung.” Jaebum absently picked his nails, shrugging. “Everything that happened the past few days, and this whole fuckin case… I’m all over the place.”

“You are.” Mark nodded softly, compassionately.

“And Jinyoung, he–” there’s always this pain in his chest whenever he tried to speak about his thoughts on Jinyoung, this annoyance that blossomed inside him like a spring wildflower, as if its thorns were spiking his insides.

 This feeling, however, was slowly changing into something else—something purer and achingly sweet, as tender as it was frightening. And that… Jaebum didn’t know how to react to that.

“He pisses me off so bad. There wasn’t a time when he didn’t get on my nerves, and he’s so arrogant, it feels like he never takes anything seriously, always mocking and teasing and flirting. It’s like, every time I see him, I want to either strangle him or,” _kiss him senseless_ is what almost comes out his mouth, but Jaebum bit his lip right on time. Taking a different approach, he finished, “Hyung. He’s driving me mad.”

 Nobody said a word for one moment or two, the rhythmic tick-tock of the clock across from them filling the silence. Moonlight seeped in through the thin material of the closed curtains, drapes stacked open in contrast on top of it. Mark waited for another minute before confessing in a whisper, “You indeed changed a lot since you met him.”

 Jaebum snapped his head to the side so fast he almost got a sprain on his neck, hissing and rubbing the pain away with one palm before properly addressing his friend. “Do you think?”

“Yes.” By the lovely smile Mark was giving him then, that wasn’t a bad thing at all. Jaebum felt himself blushing, thankful that it was way too dark in there for the other to notice anything. Mark would always come up with the worst teasing whenever he got to see Jaebum getting embarrassed.

 And maybe it’s due to the intimacy that came with opening up and talking about his feelings in the dark with someone you’ve been best friends for great part of your life that Jaebum felt comfortable enough to keep spilling his heart’s content. It was hard to see Mark’s face in that dimness, so he wouldn’t see every emotion flickering across it as his words tumbled out, and that way, he didn’t feel all that exposed. That was a nice setting.

 Jaebum still pulled the covers a little bit further up his chest, anyway. “You know what’s funny?”

“Tell me.”

“I’ve been through so much shit lately, and it all kind of piled up with what happened years ago—which I admit, I didn’t get over entirely yet—, reaching the boiling point and making it all explode, but. That night, when we found Jinyoung…I was emotional and drained, but it was what I saw in his eyes that made me kiss him.”

“What did you see?”

“I saw hope.” He exhaled heavily. “There was this tiny flicker of emotion in there, when he saw me, and I could only place it now, but those eyes were so full of hope and relief and– and the warmth in them was what broke me down. I just wanted to hold him tight and say everything was gonna be alright, y’know?”

 Jaebum glanced at his friend, once again feeling grateful for the lack of luminosity in the room. Mark watched him, encouraging and patient, but his overall expression was obscured by the shadows scattered all about. Jaebum looked back at the ceiling.

“I was hit by such intense wave of adoration and protectiveness towards that guy, who always put up a strong front but is as afraid and vulnerable as I am, it pulled me closer and next thing I knew, I was kissing him. Comforting him.” The meek smile that pulled the corners of his chapped lips up was unexpected, but not unwelcomed. “I wanted him to feel my hope as well.”

 The rustling of sheets as Mark moved again, shifting just the slightest closer to Jaebum on the bed, followed right next. Playfully, Mark nudged Jaebum’s calf with one foot. “What about today? What happened in that bathroom?”

 The mental image his brain supplied then was enough to leave Jaebum breathless. He felt the butterflies in his stomach flapping their wings a little bit harder, the weak flutter erupting ticklish shivers to run allover his skin. Fuck, Mark really had to bring that up.

 Despite his initial reaction, Jaebum still wasn’t sure of how to feel about the whole ordeal. Haven’t dwelled on it further than the expected, haven’t analyzed it thoroughly. As they were, the only thing Jaebum was certain was that he liked the weight of Jinyoung’s plump lips against his, and applying pressure to various spots on his ointment-sleek body while he kept puffing out meek whines has been hot as hell.

 Apart from that, he hasn’t reached any concrete opinion about the issue, or what shit he’s been doing with his life for that matter. Typical.

“I’m still trying to get my head around it.” Jaebum confessed.

 With another prod to his calf, Mark teased, “If I haven’t stopped you, your _head_ was surely going to go _in_ it.”

 Jaebum’s eyes widened, and he twisted around to shove his friend with deliberate strong force. Mark heaved a disbelieving laugh, as if that reaction has been unexpected in some way, and came back at him with an equally harsh, scolding shove. Jaebum sometimes forgot how much of a short-fuse and actually quite aggressive his friend was, even when he was being playful and sporting that blazing smile of cute pointy canines.

“I’m gonna beat your ass up, stop it.” He grumbled then, looking away and pretending he wasn’t as affected as he, in fact, were. Mark mocked him, repeating his words with a childlike tone, but didn’t approach that subject again.

 Instead, Mark waited for them both to somber up from that playful moment completely, and then, when Jaebum was almost dozing off to the light mood they’ve created, he shattered it into pieces with one of those uncharacteristically serious and dense comments only him was able to bring up at the worst times.

“Just be careful about it. We don’t want it to escalate to what happened with Eunjeong, do we?”

 Jaebum’s expression fell just like did his stomach. Of course, he knew what Mark was talking about, but he wouldn’t, in a billion years, expect the other to say such thing to him.

 A part of him—probably the one responsible for his good sense—told him his friend was only being cautious, like always, advising him just so he wouldn’t end up reliving that traumatic experience from the past. However, there was this nagging in the back of his mind, saying Mark was being sarcastic and condescending about the entire situation, blaming him for what happened, and even insinuating things would repeat themselves between Jinyoung and he just because they had that moment in the bathroom.

 The bitter taste that rose to his throat left his tongue feeling heavy and gross in his mouth.

 Jaebum forced the words out, “What are you saying?”

“You know what this is about, Jaebum.” He knew, but that didn’t mean Mark was being fair or even right in this. Because he wasn’t. Neither fair, nor right.

“Jinyoung won’t kill himself just because he got his feelings rejected by me, I can assure you that.”

“I didn’t say it’d be Jinyoung the one to do it this time.”

 Jaebum couldn’t believe in his ears, and it showed on his face even in the dark. “Are you serious?” He scoffed, pushed himself up, sitting on the bed and turning around to stare in incredulity at Mark, still lying on his back on the bed. It didn’t take long for the older to give up and exhaled calmly, mimicking the movement and sitting up, too.

 The light coming from outside was still precarious, and there were more shadows than anything swimming in there, but in that new angle it was better for them to see each other among the sea of blues and blacks. Jaebum was sure his expression wasn’t one of the most amiable the moment Mark outright flinched at seeing it. For Mark to flinch, it must’ve been scarily horrendous.

“Jaebum, have you noticed how weird you’ve been acting for the past week?” Mark asked, hesitant at first, and then huffing in annoyance when Jaebum just glared at him harder. “You don’t let the man breathe, you’re always on his heels and checking on his closed door every five minutes!”

“He just got kidnapped, I’m worried about him.” Jaebum stressed every word as if he was talking to a child who thought apple and pineapple were the same fruit. “That’s why I’m being so… overprotective.”

“I get that, but. Jaebum. You gotta admit this is getting out of control.” Mark pleaded, voice a few pitches higher.

 Jaebum allowed himself to mull it over for a minute, albeit quite unwillingly still, and it wasn’t a lie that the way he’s been treating Jinyoung ever since he got discharged from the hospital was bordering paranoid already. He knew he should low the level of his protectiveness, but having it distorted and misplaced by what happened to his last client was just wrong. Jaebum felt like puking at the mere thought of it.

 Eunjeong took her own life because she’s been obsessed with Jaebum and got rejected by him after confessing her infatuated feelings three years ago. There’s no way the same would happen to Jinyoung and him again now.

“It won’t happen. It’s not– it’s not like Eunjeong. I won’t get obsessed with him.” Jaebum grounded. “It’s just too recent, what happened, and I might be behaving out of sorts and overreacting a bit, but it’s not like _that_. I’m doing my job, after all.”

“You’re not his bodyguard.”

 Jaebum opened his mouth to protest, but whatever it might’ve been that he wanted to say, it died in his throat before he could push anything out. Pressing his lips together again, he frowned, feeling wronged but knowing exactly where Mark was coming from. That was frustrating, but the fact that it was something Jaebum didn’t want to hear didn’t make it any less true.

 And at seeing his conflicted expression, Mark instantly lost his will to keep going with that seemingly fruitless argument. Sighing, he reached out to squeeze Jaebum’s shoulder in a comforting way. “I’m just asking you to be sure of what you’re feeling before taking one step you might not be ready to take yet.”

“I don’t wanna talk about this anymore. Can we go to sleep?” Jaebum looked down at his lap, grinding his teeth so hard he could hear the muscles on his jaw working. He was sure Mark heard it too. Nobody said anything about it, but the firm hand on his shoulder slowly slid down his arm and then it was gone.

“Sure.” It’s what Mark replied, giving him a small smile of tightly pressed lips before laying down on the mattress again. This time, he had his back facing Jaebum.

 Jaebum watched Mark’s silhouette with a heavy conscious and even heavier heart. However, he knew himself well enough not to try saying anything else on that matter now, because it was certain that only the wrong thing would come out. Sleeping on it might make things better in the morning.

 Laying back down on his back, Jaebum fixed his eyes on the clock hung on the opposite wall. He could hear Mark’s breathing right beside him, and something told him none of them would find sleep anytime soon. Still, he forced out a clipped, “Goodnight, Mark.” before turning to the other side.

“Goodnight, Jaebum.” Mark threw over his shoulder, and that was the last thing that was said for the night.

 

**Author's Note:**

> hellooooo!! it's been a while huh  
> i have many things planned for this au, and even though i'm a slow writer and i get writer's blocks quite often now, i'll try to make this work bc i'm liking how the story’s going so far :)   
> jb and jinyoung's relationship in this will be....interesting. it'll be slow burn (and fellas i'm set into making this the slowest ever) but yk i like to build up some tension so hrrhhrhr anyway even the storyline progression in this will be slow as fuck so i hope it won’t get too boring sometimes :(   
> oh it may get confusing in some parts but everything is that way for a reason and will be explained later in the story! you can still ask me if you have questions tho :))   
> okay that's it for now so thank you for reading!! see yall next time!


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